One in a Million
by dracomalfoylover28
Summary: Hermione has trouble with recent brakeups and finds comfort with the person she never suspected. Don't judge by awful summary! HGDM. COMPLETE! Never too late to read and REVIEW. Also: check out the SEQUEL!
1. Irreplaceable

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters and I am not making any money off of this fan fiction. This is the only time I will be writing this disclaimer. I also do not own the song "One in a Million". **

**A/N: I had previously written this story on another account but I decided to take it off the site to kind of rework it to add more details and make it a little longer. So I hope you enjoy my revised edition. I chose the song "One in a Million" for the title and the story will feature some of the lyrics from the song. Now I know that the song is from Hannah Montana and that is a little bit—well lets just say LAME but hey it's one of those guilty pleasure shows. Haha. I think the song is cute and fits in with the story. So enough about that. Please don't be too cruel if you review because this is my**_** first**_** real fan fiction. I am totally new at this. Happy reading!!**

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_How did I get here_

_I turned around _

_And there you were_

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Harry Potter woke with a startle when he heard the phone next to him ring early Monday morning. He glimpsed over at the clock. 6:38. Harry was still a lazy bum who considered any time before 11:00 in the morning to be early. He groaned but picked up the phone anyway. Cho Chang, his wife, was such a sound sleeper she didn't even hear the phone ring.

"Hello?!" he answered groggily.

"Hey mate, it's Ron," said Ron Weasley sounding less cheerful than usual this particular morning.

"What's up?" asked Harry as he looked for his glasses.

"It's Hermione…again. What a shock," he said.

"What now?"

"Oh the usual. I had to stay at her house again because she was out getting plastered again last night. So I am helping her out and I will get her to work. Do you think you could escort her home after work and then try to talk some sense in to her? I keep trying but nothing gets through that thick head of hers," he laughed softly.

"Yeah, sure I'll take her home. As for talking sense into her…well I try every time I'm over there," he sighed.

"Me too. Well I better go wake her up for work. I'll talk to you later, Harry," said Ron hanging up.

Harry put down the phone and sighed. He, quite frankly, was getting a little tired of practically babysitting for Hermione and he could tell Ron was sick of it too. What happened to Hermione Granger, the sensible and responsible one out of the trio? To Ron and Harry she was pretty much gone. Harry put his glasses back on his bedside table and pulled the covers back over his head to try to catch a few more winks of sleep.

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Draco Malfoy looked up from his work as Hermione Granger came through the fireplace of their office. Ronald Weasley was with her. Draco and Hermione both had the same job at the Ministry of Magic, so they shared an office. Draco, being as rich as he is, paid a lot to make the office to be up to his standards and he got a fireplace so he could use floo powder to get to his office. Draco and Hermione worked on the sixth level, which was Magical Transportation. They dealt with Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office and Apparation Test Center.

Draco and Hermione weren't exactly friends now, but they weren't enemies either. They just sort of tolerated each other by ignoring each other on things other than business. Draco had changed after the war, and lost his childish ways and let go of his father's opinion—who was now dead.

For about the past three months, Draco had noticed Hermione stumbling in with either Harry or Ron because she was almost to hung over to stand up. This habit had been happening frequently—way more than it used to. It had been happening at least three or more times a week. All he knew about it—through water cooler gossip—was that three months ago Roger Davies had broken his engagement with Hermione for reasons Draco didn't know and frankly didn't care about. But a small part of him felt a little sorry to see her like this, despite their history.

"Hermione…I really think you should just stay home today…" said Ron, trying to convince her. She only half paid attention. Draco could see the stress written all over Ron's face and felt sorry for the guy. Draco would hate to have to do that kind of thing for one of his friends.

"N-Nonsense…Ron. I-I'm fine. I've got to stay h-here for work," she said, stumbling as Ron moved to catch her.

"Ok…if you **really** think so," he said sarcastically. "Harry will pick you up from work if you need it. Which you probably will," he muttered. "I'll see you later, 'Mione," he said giving her a hug. "If you need anything…just owl me, okay? Don't hesitate to ask anything."

"T-Thanks, Ron. I really appreciate it. By the way, I'm totally f-fine," she said, taking the seat at her desk knocking over her pencil cup and some documents as she did so.

"Tough night, Granger?" asked Draco smirking. One thing hadn't changed since school—he still called her 'Granger'.

"Shut up, M-Malfoy. I just want to d-do my work," she hadn't changed either—she still called him 'Malfoy'. She bent down to the ground to pick up all the things she had dropped in her clumsiness.

"Fine, I'm just trying to make you feel better," he said with an heir of mystery. He really didn't have deep feelings for Hermione, but he hated to see her hurt like this. He didn't really know why. He just assumed it was a guy thing—not liking to see women hurt like that.

"What could you possibly do to make me feel better?" she asked angrily.

"No idea," he chuckled.

"Let's just get our work d-done," she said starting to pull some documents out of a file cabinet.

"Uh…Granger…" he started.

"What?!" she snapped through clenched teeth.

"Those papers you are getting out…you filled those yesterday. They are simply there for inventory purposes," he said trying not to smirk. She was absolutely hilarious to him when she was hung over and not thinking straight.

She cursed silently under her breath while she put the papers back. Then Seamus Finnigan, who also worked on that floor, came into the shared office.

"Hermione?" he asked.

"Yeah?" she said turning around from the file cabinet.

"Padma and I were wondering if you wanted to join us for lunch today. I guess you can come too," said Seamus motioning to Draco. After the war things had become slightly better between Gryffindors and Slytherins.

"Sure," they both replied in unison.

"Great," he said walking out.

Hermione sat down at her desk to start filing through papers—papers that she hadn't done that day before, that is. She smiled as she saw that in about a few months she would have to go back to Hogwarts to help sixth years learn how to apparate. That was her favorite part of her job—going back to Hogwarts. It had only been six years since she graduated and she already missed the place to death. Her head started pounding and groaned but continued to work. It took her a few seconds to see Draco standing by her desk. It startled her.

"Merlin, you're like a pop-up book from hell," she said angrily.

"Fine, if you're going to talk to me like that I won't give you what I came over here to give you," he said slyly.

"Alright. I'll be nice. What is it?" she asked sheepishly.

He handed over a little potion bottle filled with a mysterious glowing liquid in a lavender shade.

"What is it?" she asked bluntly.

"Well, my father had plenty of his shares of a hung over morning, so he made this potion which takes away the hangover in a matter of seconds. If you don't believe me just try it," he said pushing it towards her. "You know you want too."

"Does it really work?" she asked popping the cork off. "Not just one of your stupid practical Slytheriney jokes?" He shook his head no. She downed the bottle in seconds and smiled. "Sweet Merlin…it really works!!" she said getting up to hug him.

"Granger get your hands off me," he laughed.

"Sorry," she laughed shyly. "Do you think you could get me more of that stuff?" she asked with a puppy dog face.

"We'll see. Now get back to work, young lady!" he scolded her. He almost scolded himself for being so nice to her. On most days they didn't speak to each other at all. She smiled and sat down. They worked for a few hours until Seamus came in to tell them he and Padma were ready to leave for lunch.

"Okay, Seamus. I'll just get my coat and I will be ready," she said. Draco got up and put his coat on as well.

"Where are we going to eat?" Draco asked Seamus.

"That little café a few blocks down. Padma and I go there at least twice a week. It was wear we had our first date," he said reminiscing. Padma came out of her office and the foursome apparated out of the building and decided to walk to rest of the way. It was a beautiful crisp fall day with a light breeze. Hermione adored fall above all of the other seasons.

The café was small and quaint but very cozy and comfortable. Hermione and Draco felt awkward as they ordered their food. Being in a foursome where two of the four were madly in love usually made the other two uncomfortable.

"So Hermione, how are Harry and Ron these days? I haven't seen them in awhile," said Padma sweetly.

"Wonderful as usual. Ron and Lavender are now living together and Harry and Cho are married as you know," said Hermione trying not to sound jealous.

"That's great. Send them my best," she said.

"Oh yes, send them my best too!" said Draco sarcastically. All three of them scowled at him. "Okay now I can see that this lunch was a pity invite for me," he chuckled.

"No, no, no…" said Seamus trying to sound convincing.

Padma interrupted by her cell phone buzzing. "Hello? Oh yes, certainly I will be there right away," she said hanging up.

"What's up, baby?" asked Seamus.

"Parvarti needs me. She is going into labor…I've got to go meet mum at the hospital. I need you to come with me, hunny," she said sounding panicked.

"Let's go, then! Sorry you two…I guess we'll catch up at work later," said Seamus getting up.

"Alright. Let me know how everything goes, Padma," said Hermione standing up to give her a hug.

"Thanks, Hermione. I'm really sorry," she replied.

"Don't be! I hope everything goes well," Draco shook hands with Seamus and the couple left. "So…what? Do we stay here?" asked Hermione.

"Of course we stay here. I'm starving," he whined.

"Fine," she laughed. The food came in a matter of minutes, and they were silent for at least five minutes.

Hermione felt exceedingly more awkward as Draco started to play with the salt and peppershakers when they finished eating. "So…" he said.

"So what?" she asked.

"How have you been?" he asked at poor attempts to make the moment less awkward.

"Spectacular," she said sarcastically as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Can I ask you something personal?" he asked.

"You can ask. Doesn't mean I'll answer," she said folding her arms.

"What's with you lately?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Wh…what do you mean?" she asked.

"You just haven't seemed like yourself lately," he said calmly while stirring his coffee.

"How would you know? You don't know how I am usually. Last time I checked you and I weren't friends," she snapped back at him.

"Well I may not know you personally, but I do know a few facts about you."

"Oh really? Try me."

"First of all, back at Hogwarts you were very conservative and now you come in to work almost every other day with a hangover. Second you always had a very independent personality. Now you depend on your friends about 24/7. They are here practically every day to check on you. You are a bookworm. You haven't brought a book into work for break in about two months. Another thing is that you used to always be so emotionally strong and you stood up for yourself. Now you always seem to be an emotional wreck. And I've got to tell you, I hate to see women hurt. Despite my history with them. I didn't feel that way when I was younger but I do now. The last thing is…at Hogwarts you always had a smile on your face whenever I saw you. I could always verbally attack you and you would not even seem to let it bother you. Recently I've haven't seen you smile at all," he finished.

Hermione had absolutely nothing to say to this at the moment. She just stared into his beautiful, unblinking, gray eyes. He could tell that she was surprised about how observant he was. "So are you going to tell me what's been up with you?"

"I…we aren't friends…" she said lamely.

"So?" he said shrugging.

"So I don't feel like divulging my personal life to a former enemy!"

"You can trust me. There is no hidden agenda. I am just trying to better understand my co-worker," he said convincingly.

"Fine. But I'll give you the Reader's Digest version of it," she said.

"Reader's Digest?"

"It's a muggle thing. Never mind. So what is it that you want to know?"

"Well I heard you broke up with Roger Davies three months ago. And around that time was when I started noticing a change in you. So what happened? What changed?" he inquired.

"He dumped me and that's pretty much it. The wedding is off," she sighed.

"But why?"

"I don't know, okay! He didn't even tell me face to face. He left a note saying he just couldn't marry me! I don't know what the bloody hell I did wrong! Merlin, I HATE that bastard!" she said starting to cry.

"Granger…sorry…please stop crying," he said. He felt awful as people from other tables starting staring at him giving an accusatory 'what-did-you-do?!' kind of look.

"So yes, you are right. I go get drunk every other night and then I depend on my friends to get me out of it. They have lives and partners and I am some burden that they always have to think about. I am some reckless child who needs to be looked after all the time!" she vented.

"They are your friends. That's what friends are for. Trust me, if they hated it that much they would have already stopped helping you out," he tried to explain but she wouldn't stop talking.

"And now I live at home all alone with that stupid cat of mine. I am going to be a crazy and lonely cat lady who never finds a man and just stays in the living room watching TV and ordering take out," she said, her tears starting to subside.

"You'll find a man…"

"No, I won't. That bastard Roger Davies has ruined my chances FOREVER!!"

"You are 23! You have plenty of time to find a man…" he tried to reason with her.

"I guess you might be right. But who would want me? Roger didn't want me," she rubbed her eyes and no more tears were streaming down her face to Draco's relief. All Draco could think about was getting out of that café and right now. He hated to see women cry like that. He had watched his mother do it all his life.

"Well then…maybe we should get out of here…" he said leaving money on the table for the check. They apparated back to the office where both of them were very quiet for the rest of the day. Hermione felt so embarrassed that she had blown up like that. Draco on the other hand felt sorry for her, but at the same time he didn't really care. He just wanted to know what was wrong with her because it had bugged him lately. He had used the good old Slytherin way of getting information—be calm, cool, unsuspecting, and sneaky. He wasn't going to use the information against her of course. He just wanted to know.

It wasn't long till it was five and Harry came through the fireplace. Harry was currently the substitute Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts along with being an Auror. Along with that, he was married to Cho Chang. Hermione wondered how he ever had so much time to attend to her…

"Harry! I'm so happy to see you!" she said happily.

"How have you been feeling today?" he asked, looking worried.

"Oh, I felt absolutely horrid this morning but I'm feeling quite well now. Well, lets go," she said, not even putting a glance toward Draco. Harry and Ron still loathed Draco and she didn't want them to think that she ever had any contact with him.

They went through the fire to Hermione's house. Her black cat, Snuffley, was eagerly awaiting her when she returned with Harry.

"You should really get another cat to be with Snuffley," said Harry as he stroked Snuffleys' long black fur.

"Harry, I don't want to become a crazy lonely cat lady," she responded, which made Harry laugh.

"Are you really that lonely?" he asked as he stared into her eyes as if trying to read her.

"Yes…I mean…it was only three months ago. He didn't even tell me why he left. I'll don't even know what I did wrong…" she trailed off. She didn't cry. She was sick of crying.

"Oh, Hermione…I'm sure you didn't do anything wrong," said Harry as he gave her a hug.

"Harry, you should really be getting back to Cho," said Hermione. "I am a big girl. I will be able to survive a break-up. I just need a little time. Roger Davies is totally replaceable," she smiled.

"No, it's fine. If you need me here I'll stay."

"Harry, that's very sweet but I don't want to keep you here. Go home. To your wife. Remember her?" she joked.

"Alright, but if you need me or Ron send an owl."

"Thanks, Harry," she said as she gave him a hug goodbye.

She watched him apparate away and she went into the kitchen to make herself some dinner. All she found was an old TV dinner. '_Oh bugger…guess this will have to do…'_she thought as she stuck it in the microwave. When it came out she sat on the couch and turned on the TV. Snuffley jumped up and snuggled against her.

She couldn't remember the last time she felt this pitiful. The only person's love she had now was a cat! Her mind flashed back to when Roger Davies had first asked her out when she was eighteen. She remembered it like it was yesterday.

_Hermione was sitting at a small coffee shop in a town not far away from Hogsmeade. She was, of course, engrossed in a book that she found fascinating. She loved the state of mind she had when she was reading. Reading transported her to other worlds. When she was caught up in a good book she was practically oblivious to the entire world around her. Even when she was in the worst moods she could read a book and forget about her troubles even if it was for a little while. _

_She turned the page of the book and heard someone cough above her. Thinking nothing of it she kept reading. Then she heard it again. And then again. She still ignored it as she stayed in her own little world. All of the sudden someone grabbed the book out of her hand. _

"_Aha. You are Hermione Granger, aren't you? I thought you looked familiar," said a tall and gorgeous man she recognized to be Roger Davies. "Pride and Prejudice? I have never heard of this book before," he said sitting down at her table._

"_Oh, it's just wonderful! I've read it at least six times. I can loan you that if you want," she offered._

"_That's alright. So tell me. What is a beautiful girl like you doing here in this adorable little coffee shop all by yourself?" he said grinning._

"_Oh…I'm just…reading," she laughed._

"_Yes, I saw that. You know, you are even prettier then I remembered. There is no way that you are single right now, is there?" he asked slyly. "I always thought that kid Weasley had a thing for you. How is Ron?"_

"_He's fine. He's dating Lavender Brown, actually. I am single."_

"_Who would have thought? Well I can change that. Want to go to dinner with me on Friday night?"_

"_I…what?" she asked feeling very shy._

"_Come on, Hermione. Please?" he asked with an adorable puppy dog face. "If I am an awful date I promise I won't force you to go on another date with me ever again!"_

"_Well I don't…sure!" she heard herself say. She mentally slapped herself for sounding so eager._

"_Great. I will pick you up at 8:00. And yes, I would like to borrow the book actually," he smiled._

"_It's all yours," she smiled and he walked out of the shop. _

After that first date she spent practically all her time with him. Although it sounded like a weird pairing to some people, to Hermione it was just perfect. They dated for three years and got engaged when she was twenty-one. Then as of three months ago he had ended it.

'_Well at least Roger is my guy in my memories…'_ she thought sadly as she walked to her bedroom. The second her head hit the pillow she drifted off into a dreamless sleep. But her last thought was _'Roger Davies is irreplaceable…'_

**A/N: So that was the first chapter! I am sorry if you find it a little unrealistic or that if you think Draco is being a little out of character. But do remember that this is a few years after the war. They are 23 now so school was six years ago. Draco and Hermione have grown up a little bit and his father is dead and isn't hanging over his head anymore. So that's just a small thing to keep in mind. Thank you for reading and feedback of any kind would be really nice! I have no idea if this story is good at all…but don't give up on me yet! Keep reading. Please?! ******


	2. Shopping

**A/N: Well here comes chapter two. Don't want to keep you, so happy reading!! **

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_I didn't think twice or rationalize_

_Because somehow I knew_

_That there was more than just chemistry_

_I mean I knew you were kind of in to me_

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The next morning she woke up with Snuffley still by her side. Snuffley purred gently as Hermione stroked him. Then she got out of bed to take a shower and did a drying spell on her hair.

She went into the kitchen for breakfast and found Ron apparating into her kitchen.

"Ronald! What are you doing here?" she asked, very surprised to see him.

"I just wanted to check to see if you were okay…" he said. '_Ron is so sweet_…'thought Hermione.

"Thanks, Ron. I'm fine. You and Harry really come over here too often. You both have lives. Jobs…partners. I really don't need you to check up on me. I'm fine!!"

"Well, you don't look fine."

"Thanks…"

"Well, you know what I mean, Hermione. You have just seemed so miserable lately. Harry and I have been so worried about you," he said. Hermione could really see in his eyes how much he cared about her.

"Ron, you know why I'm so miserable and there's nothing you can do about it!" she said. "I am just going to have to get over him with time. It will happen, trust me. Not now, but it will."

"Hermione…maybe you should try to talk to him. Did you ever think of that? Maybe you just need some closure."

"That is the stupidest idea I have ever heard!" she laughed.

"Hermione, if you ever want to stay with me and Lavender for a night you can. Our casa es su casa."

"I'll be ok…" she said, giving him a hug. "Shouldn't you be getting to work, though?" she asked. Ron worked as an Auror as well as Harry.

"Yes, I just wanted to check on you before I left. By the way, Ginny wanted me to ask you if you wanted to go shopping with her after work."

"Yeah, that sounds great."

"Cool. So she will meet you in your office after work. Well, I'll see you later, Hermione!" he said and with a crack he was gone.

Then Hermione filled up Snuffleys' food bowl and went to finish getting ready. Then with a handful of floo powder, she was gone. When she got there, Draco was sitting at his desk shuffling papers.

"Well, you look much better today, Granger. I see you don't have an escort today," he said this with a smirk, of course.

"Umm…thanks I guess. And no, I don't need an escort to bring me to work everyday," she said with a snobby tone as she sat down. "Last night actually felt great. I didn't have anything to drink," she said proudly.

"Granger, now I know I looked like I was interested in your personal life yesterday but let's just face it. I'm not your shrink," he said a little more harshly then he meant to.

"I…okay. Yeah, I know you're not my shrink. I just thought maybe you were my friend or something. At least an acquaintance," she said feeling stupid. He sniggered and got back to his work. That made Hermione feel even more stupid.

"Hey! Our visit to Hogwarts is coming up in about two months to teach sixth years how to apparate," said Hermione cheerfully as she looked at her calendar.

"Oh joy," he said sarcastically.

"I love going back to Hogwarts. Don't you?"

"Not really, actually. It reminds me of all the bad times I had there…" he trailed off.

"Like what? You always enjoyed picking on Ronald and Harry and I. That ought to be good memories for you," she joked.

"It just reminds me of all my annoying friends, always having to get perfect grades, and being forced to do things for my father and Voldemort. The good memories however were all the girls I had who thought I was the greatest thing in the world," he smirked.

"Ah…they must have had bad taste then," said Hermione only half paying attention. He just shrugged it off and they continued to work until Ginny showed up at five to take Hermione shopping.

"Hermione!" she said engulfing her in a bear hug.

"Ginny!!"

"Draco!!" Draco randomly screamed. They both scowled at him and left the office.

"Never mind him," she laughed. "So where are we shopping today?"

"I thought we would shop like muggles today," said Ginny. "I haven't been to a mall in ages."

"And what are you shopping for?"

"I need a dress for my date on Friday," said Ginny with a childish grin on her face.

"Ah…and how is Dean?" asked Hermione. Ginny had been seeing Dean a lot lately in the last five or so months. Surprisingly Ron actually approved of Dean.

"He's great. I actually haven't seen him much in the past week. So he is taking me out for dinner on Friday," said Ginny as they apparated a few blocks away from the mall. "So what have you been up to, missy? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

"Oh…just same old same old. Been working a lot and playing with my cat. Wow my life sounds really boring, doesn't it?" she frowned.

"Not at all!" smiled Ginny as they walked into the mall.

"Merlin, this place is huge. Where should we go first?" asked Hermione.

"I actually am a little bit hungry. Do you want to stop by the food court first?" Hermione nodded and they walked over to the directory to find the food court.

They enjoyed a delicious not so nutritious meal of pan-Asian cuisine while Ginny babbled on about Dean. Hermione didn't really mind but it still made her think of Roger, which in turn made her insides ache. She and Roger were still in the planning stages of their wedding before they broke up. All they had planned was the wedding date—February 3rd. Which was the anniversary of the day that he first asked her out at the coffee shop. Right now it was still in the middle of fall.

After eating, they proceeded to shop. For the first three shops Ginny walked in, looked around, and then walked out. Normally Hermione would have found that weird, but it was Ginny.

Then they came across a small dress shop that Ginny fell in love with instantly. Upon walking in she found two dresses she was in love with. The shopkeeper gave Ginny a weird stare, which Ginny was oblivious to, as she walked around the store finding more and more dresses that she wanted to try on.

"Hermione! I am going to try these on. I will need your opinion on all of them," said Ginny, who had about seven or more dresses in her arms.

"I'll be out here then," said Hermione smiling to herself. Ginny was never such a shopaholic when they were younger.

In a few minutes Ginny came out in the first dress which was a spaghetti strap cotton plaid dress in a delicate pink. "Yay or nay?" she asked.

"I like it a lot but it seems a little casual, you know? How fancy exactly are you trying to go for?"

"Semi-formal. I guess this one's gotta go," said Ginny heading back into the changing room. She came out next in a creamy metallic halter style dress.

"I like it, but I want to see the others first. So leave it in the maybe pile," said Hermione and Ginny headed back in to the changing room.

Next she came out in a bright turquoise blue spaghetti strap dress that was covered in sequins. They both agreed no on that one in an instant. After a few more failed attempts, she came out in a black and cream halter dress with black embroidery. "It's a winner," said Hermione and Ginny promptly agreed.

"What's that?" asked Ginny after she came out of the changing room with all the rejected dresses in her hands. She was motioning to the dress that Hermione was examining.

"Oh…nothing. I just thought it looked pretty," said Hermione hanging it back up.

"Try it on."

"No. I have nowhere to wear it," said Hermione.

"Wear it on a date. It looks perfect for you," said Ginny picking it up.

"Last time I checked I haven't been asked out on many dates," said Hermione bashfully.

"But you will be in the future no doubt. Now try it on _now_," said Ginny stubbornly. Hermione knew there was no way to lose this battle so she grabbed it and went in to the changing room.

Ginny's mouth dropped when Hermione walked out of the changing room. "Is it that bad?" asked Hermione.

"It's…perfect," said Ginny. It was a dark forest green halter dress with a low v and clusters of rhinestones on the bust line. The dress was perfect and accentuated all of her curves. The color of the dress also looked perfect with her skin tone and her long, smooth, curls that trailed down to the small of her back. "That's it. You have got to buy that dress," said Ginny smiling.

"What? No…no I have no use for it," said Hermione walking back to the changing room.

"Like I said, wear it on a date," said Ginny.

"I am not planning to date for awhile," pressed Hermione.

"Well some day in the near future most likely you will be asked out by a great guy and you will have nothing to wear. Then you can wear that dress. And if you don't buy it I will buy it for you. There are shoes over there and a clutch purse to match it," smiled Ginny.

"Fine. I will buy the stupid dress. But I probably won't ever wear it," said Hermione going over to the register. The girls made their purchases and made their way to the next store where Ginny found many more things that she didn't need but she decided to buy anyway.

"Hermione, you really should try on some of this stuff," said Ginny motioning to some skirts and tops. Hermione hadn't really updated her wardrobe for awhile because she never really cared about what she wore.

"I have no use for it," Hermione tried to explain.

"Oh, come on. Just girl fun, you know? Just try some on for fun," said Ginny pulling things off of hangers and giving them to Hermione. "You really should be putting yourself out there. These clothes will show that you are available."

"I don't want to look like a hooker!" said Hermione.

"You won't. You will look very classy, I promise. I know what I'm doing, 'Mione," said Ginny ushering Hermione into the changing rooms.

"Fine, fine," said Hermione. As she tried them on, she actually liked what she saw. Hermione had never really cared much about her appearance when she was growing up but now that her body had taken shape and her hair wasn't a bush anymore she actually had a little self-confidence.

"So are you going to buy them?" asked Ginny. "You never spend money so I know you have plenty. And look at these prices! They are like a gazillion percent off," said Ginny. It was practically impossible to say no to Ginny—or any Weasley for that matter. The Weasley's were always well known for their stubbornness.

"Yes, I guess I will buy them. I still have no idea where I will wear them, though," said Hermione going to the register.

"Anywhere and everywhere! You can wear them to work or just going out. Accessories and make-up are what dress the outfits up or down," explained Ginny.

"What would I do without your style advice, Ginny?" said Hermione. The girls finished up their shopping and Hermione apparated back to her flat. She actually felt a little guilty about how much she had bought. She bought about three pairs of jeans, a dozen or more tops, some pencil skirts, shorts, shoes, four dresses, and some purses and accessories._ 'Well, I won't have to do any more shopping for awhile…_' she thought to herself as she hung up her new clothes.

Hermione laid on her bed and just crashed. Snuffley even joined her. She came out of her reverie when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, 'Mione, it's Ron. Just wanted to see how you were. How was the shopping trip with Ginny?" asked Ron.

"Great. She forced me to buy all this stuff that I have no idea where I will wear any of it…" laughed Hermione.

"Well I'm glad you had fun," he said.

"Yeah, I did."

"So, Lavender wanted to know if you wanted to come over for dinner at our place tomorrow night," he offered.

"Oh, yeah, that sounds great. You inviting anyone else?"

"Oh…maybe…I was thinking I would call Harry and Cho," he stuttered.

"Umm…okay sure. What time do you want me over there?" she asked.

"Seven. And don't worry, I'm not cooking. Lavender is," he laughed. "So you don't have to eat before you come."

"Ronald Weasley! You are an excellent cook. Most of the time," she laughed.

"You're so sweet. Well I guess I'll see you at seven tomorrow. Talk to you later, 'Mione," he said and Hermione hung up.

The next morning Hermione took a shower and did a drying spell on her hair which left her hair in smooth, silky curls that ran down to the small of her back. In her bathrobe, she shifted through her new wardrobe to pick out something to wear to work. She ended up with a tight black pencil skirt, a lavender silk blouse, chunky black peak-toe heels, and a black leather bag. She looked in the mirror, decided her outfit was fine, and went to the kitchen to eat some cereal before she left.

Snuffley came in to the kitchen and hopped onto the chair next to Hermione's and meowed. "Fine, I guess I will get you your food, hun," said Hermione getting up. After she fed the cat and put her cereal bowl in the sink, she flooed into her office.

Draco was already there when she flooed in. It took her a moment to realize that his eyes were scanning her from top to bottom.

"Having fun sizing me up?" she asked sarcastically.

"Wha? I don't know what you're talking about. Don't flatter yourself, Granger. I wasn't sizing you up," he said.

"Oh, yeah, sure," she smiled.

"I wasn't! You must have very high self-esteem if you think that I was sizing you up," he said bashfully.

"Aha, yeah, sure," she said knowing she was going to make him act even more defensively.

"Alright, fine. I was looking at you. Big deal. Doesn't mean I like you or anything," he scoffed.

"Alrighty. I just wanted to hear you admit it," she said proudly.

"Admit what?"

"That you think that a Mudblood is pretty," said Hermione.

She could see his facial expression change as he looked back down at his work.

"Fine, subject dropped," she laughed and continued to work.

The work day seemed to last forever. The second the clock struck five she went over to the fireplace to get out. She was so happy that it was finally Friday. "Off in a hurry, aren't you Granger?" said Draco as she headed over to the fireplace.

"I have dinner engagements tonight," she said vaguely.

"Weasleys? Potter and Chang?"

"Yes. Man, you make my life sound so predictable," she laughed as she swirled away into the green fire.

After lounging around the apartment for an hour she decided to get dressed for the dinner at Ron's apartment. She tried on one of her new dresses that was a casual cotton dress that went to her knees with a ruched bustline. She paired it with a pair of white wedge shoes. As she tried it on she was actually thankful that Ginny convinced her to buy all of the new clothes. When it reared closer to seven, she apparated over to Ron's apartment where there were heavenly scents coming from the kitchen.

"'Mione! You look so great," said Ron coming over to give her a hug.

"Thanks, Ron!" Hermione went in to the kitchen to find Lavender cooking, "Wow, Lavender, it smells great in here. Do you need any help?" offered Hermione.

"That's very sweet, Hermione, but I'm fine. You can go keep Ron company in the other room while we wait for everyone else to arrive," said Lavender.

"Oh, who else is coming?"

"Well, Harry, Cho, and my cousin Dwight," she said.

"Alright. I will go keep Ron company then," she said going in to the living room.

"So how was work, Hermione?" asked Ron as she entered the room.

"Normal. Boring. Just another ordinary day. So…Lavender's cousin is coming over tonight?"

"Oh, yeah. She is very close to him and thought that it would be fun to have him over. I hear he is really great…" said Ron quite unconvincingly.

"You aren't…by any chance…trying to set me up with this guy, are you Ron?" said Hermione uncomfortably.

"What? No, no, no…I've never even met this guy. But I hear he is really nice, 'Mione…"

"Ron, I hate set ups. And you know that perfectly well seeing that you have known me for so many years…" the conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Lavender's mysterious cousin Dwight.

"Dwight!" said Lavender running into the room giving him a hug. "This is my boyfriend Ron and his really _terrific _friend Hermione. Hermione, this is Dwight. I have known him for practically forever!" said Lavender enthusiastically. "Ron, can you help me with something in the kitchen? Dwight, you can keep Hermione company in here," said Lavender quickly ushering Ron away into the kitchen before Hermione had a chance to say anything.

"Hermione…that is a very interesting name," said Dwight sitting down.

"Yeah…I guess…"

"You look very lovely tonight," said Dwight. _'Wow. They try to set me up and they can't do any better than this?'…_Hermione thought to herself as he started talking. Hermione wasn't usually one to judge people by appearances, but she could already tell that this guy was weird. Lavender and Ron did not come out of the kitchen for what seemed like forever. All Dwight was talking about was his career, his education, and the fact that he had seen Ghostbusters one hundred and sixty-two times. Can you say score?

She felt saved as Harry and Cho came through the fireplace ten minutes later. "Harry! Thank goodness you are here!" she said jumping off the couch to greet Harry and Cho.

The rest of the night seemed to go on for hours and hours and hours for Hermione when in reality it wasn't any longer than two and a half hours. Hermione hated set ups, but they were even worse when they were so blatantly obvious. Lavender put all of her time and energy into talking up Dwight to Hermione and talking up Hermione to Dwight. The worst part was that Dwight was oblivious to the blatant set up and actually liked Hermione by the end of the evening. Cho and Harry could see how miserable Hermione was and tried to change the subject many times but Ron and Lavender just steered the conversation back to Dwight and Hermione.

Lavender seemed extremely disappointed when Dwight and Hermione didn't go out of coffee after dinner.

"Once you serve people four cups of coffee they don't usually want to go out for more," Harry tried to explain to Lavender.

When she finally got home she went to bed the second she got home not really looking forward to the long and lonely weekend coming up for her.

**A/N: So thus ends the second chapter. I hope you enjoyed it This chapter was a little shorter than the last one. But I am hoping to make them longer. So if you don't mind why don't you review?! Please please please?! ******** Haha. I was watching the Office when I wrote this and I couldn't think of a name for Lavender's cousin so I named him Dwight. Haha. If you watch the show then you certainly know that Dwight is…let's just say…special ********. I just love him!!**


	3. Bunny Slippers

**A/N: Chapter three coming right at you!!**

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_But I figured it's just too good to be true_

_I said pinch me where's the catch this time_

---

The next few weeks passed slowly and quite uneventfully. The fall season had slowly melded into winter. Hermione hadn't really done much lately other than work, and spending time with Ginny, Harry, Cho, Ron, and Lavender. Although she loved spending time with her friends she still felt lonely quite often. But she felt that a slow transition had been coming on because she hadn't been to a bar in weeks, which felt like a great accomplishment to her. The winter break from work, which would be lasting only a week long, would be coming in two weeks. It had upsides and downsides to her. She liked having a break from work, but the downside of it was that she would be alone at Christmas.

"Morning, Granger," said Draco on that Tuesday morning making their usual pointless morning conversation.

"Morning, Malfoy," she said.

"I noticed that you haven't had an escort here for the last few weeks," said Draco.

"My, my, my, aren't you observant?" she said sarcastically.

"Hey, I thought it would be a good thing."

"Yes, it is a good thing, I guess," she said.

"Any plans for the winter break?" asked Draco.

"Just sitting around my house with my cat," she said sounding pitiful. "What about you?"

"Yeah, I'm not doing much of anything either. My mom of course will have me over for dinner on Christmas Eve to try to set me up with some other pureblood who she thinks is perfect for me," he said chuckling to himself. "She has been getting impatient about me and she wants me to get married and start making pureblood babies as soon as possible."

"Ah, sounds like fun," she said sarcastically. "Reminds me of my friends. They think that since my engagement has been broken that I will never meet anyone and get engaged again," she said.

"Friends and family are just the greatest, aren't they?" he asked sarcastically.

"Yeppers," she laughed. "Well, we also have our small office Christmas party coming up."

"Oh yes. Spending time with random people I don't know and old Gryffindors from Hogwarts who still judge me based on facts of what happened back in school and the fact that I was a Slytherin," he said.

"You know you could try to get to know them. And as for the Gryffindors—show them you've changed and they will change towards you," she said.

"Yeah, but that would require effort and I am lazy," he said taking a seat at his desk.

She laughed and sat down at her desk as well. Padma walked in a few minutes later. It was Padma's first day back to work since she had been with her sister for the birth of the baby. "Hey, Hermione, I'm back!" she said excitedly.

"That's great! How is the baby, Padma?" said Hermione excitedly.

"Just wonderful. It's a boy. She named him Devon. She is so excited. Still disappointed that she doesn't fit back in to her old jeans yet," she laughed.

"Ah. That would be disappointing to me, too," said Hermione laughing.

"Hey…as exciting as all of this is—could you two continue this lovely conversation outside? Some of us are trying to work, here," said Draco.

"Fine," said Hermione scowling. "We will go to the water cooler if it makes you happy, Draco."

"That would be lovely," he said pushing them out the door.

---

The only thing that came with the next week was the first snowfall of the season, which to Hermione was always exciting. The night after the first snowfall of the season, Hermione would walk outside and enjoy the icy cold snow. Something about the snow always made her feel cheerful no matter what was going on in her life. Even the fact that for the last few years she had walked in the first snow with Roger didn't ruin her experience.

She tried not to think about the fact that this would be her first Christmas where she would be all alone. Harry and Cho were leaving for a trip and she was under the suspicion that Ron would be proposing to Lavender so she thought she would leave them to be with each other. Christmas was the worst time of the year for her because she missed her parents so much. They had died in the final battle after being caught by death eaters. They were tortured because they refused to give up the locations of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

---

Hermione looked through her closet the next evening. She was trying to figure out what she should wear to the office Christmas party. It was usually a semi-formal event where they would go out to eat and then come back to the office to have a gift exchange and spend time with each other. She had never been to the Christmas party without Roger.

She looked in the back of the closet and found one of the dresses that Ginny had forced her to buy at that mall trip a few months ago. Deciding that it was her only option, she put it on. She pulled her hair halfway up and left the rest of it hanging down and applied her make-up. She looked at the time and saw that she was late. She grabbed a purse and apparated to the restaurant where she met everyone standing in the waiting area. There were only a few people on the sixth floor at the Ministry of Magic. The people who worked on the floor were Hermione, Draco, Seamus, Padma, Gabrielle Delacour, a woman named Pam, and her husband Jim Glover.

"Hermione! You look wonderful," said Padma as Hermione approached the group.

"I jus' love this dress, 'Ermione!" said Gabrielle.

"Oh, thanks, I just got it while I was out with a friend," said Hermione as they walked over to their table. "I haven't really had any occasion to wear it so I chose to wear it tonight."

"'Vell it is simply ravishing!" said Gabrielle.

The group enjoyed a delicious meal with good conversation and Draco enjoyed three beers. Hermione had to convince him not to go for a fourth.

When they apparated back to the Ministry of Magic they had the party in Hermione and Draco's office because it was the biggest on their floor. They all enjoyed the cheesy gift exchange where Hermione received a set of picture frames. _'How original…'_ she thought when she opened it. But of course, she was very much appreciative of the gift. The group enjoyed many more drinks and Hermione tried to drink sparingly. She hadn't gotten drunk in almost a month.

Draco, however, looked like he could pass out at any moment from all the alcohol he had consumed.

"Hermione…Draco…you two are under the mistletoe!!" said Padma, who was about one more drink away from becoming slobbering drunk.

"It's probably full of nargles…" said Hermione looking up at it.

"Come on, 'Ermione, kiss him!" shrieked Gabrielle with laughter.

"I…" before she could say anything else in her own defense, Draco had grabbed her around the waist and started to kiss her. She knew that he was totally drunk, but that didn't stop her from enjoying the moment. She hadn't been kissed in months. The group was laughing hysterically as Draco continued to kiss her and his hand started roaming down her back. Starting to feel uncomfortable, she tried to push him away. But he was much stronger than her. Then something seemed to erupt out of Draco.

"Merlin…I'm kissing a M-mudblood!" he slurred as he pushed her off of him.

Hermione slapped him and the group seemed to get great amusement out of it. "You are such a bastard!" she yelled at him.

He laughed and then pulled Padma under the mistletoe to start kissing her. This caused Seamus to pull Padma away and start punching Draco. This Hermione found amusing because Seamus wasn't as drunk as Draco and Draco was getting the hell beaten out of him.

In all the excitement, Gabrielle had passed out, the Glovers had left, and Hermione and Padma were standing in the corner watching Seamus beat up Draco. Then Draco seemed to have strength erupt from himself and he knocked Seamus to the ground.

"Well, this is a fun party," said Hermione sarcastically.

"Yeah, that was some kiss you two had," said Padma nudging Hermione with a grin on her face.

"He was slobbering drunk and then he called me a Mudblood. Yeah, that was some great kiss," said Hermione. "He hasn't called me a Mudblood in years."

"Yes, well he is drunk. And I think I will be drunk soon to. So I am going to take Seamus and get out of here. Think you could help me pull these two apart?" said Padma. Hermione nodded and the two girls eventually pried the guys apart.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later, Hermione," said Padma using side-along apirition with Seamus.

Hermione stared at Draco. She frowned. They were the last two people there. Having no idea what to do with him or where he lived, she decided to apparate him over to her own flat until he was able to apparate home himself. _'He is going to kill me in the morning for bringing him here…'_ she thought to herself as she pushed him over to the couch. Deciding that he looked cold, she put a blanket over him. Snuffley stared at Draco in awe.

"What is your problem?" Hermione asked Snuffley. The cat just meowed and jumped up on the couch and curled up next to Draco. "Don't get to comfortable. He will push you off the second that he wakes up and realizes where he is." The cat just purred and ignored Hermione, so she went off to change and go to bed. Hermione actually considered dumping Draco back at the office at least three times, but she finally decided to just leave him on the couch.

Hermione woke up the next morning at 7:24 when she heard a scream coming from the living room. She put on a fluffy bathrobe on and decided to see why Draco was screaming. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" said Hermione when she entered the living room.

"Where the hell am I?!" he asked angrily. "And why was that stupid cat sleeping next to me? Was it there all night? I hate cats. What am I doing here? I have absolutely no recollection of last night. And why does my head hurt so much?"

"It's called a hangover. Last night was the Christmas party, remember? Try to think. Might be hard for you, huh?" she said sarcastically.

"Ok, I remember most of the party. But I don't remember coming here. Oh—sweet—Merlin—did you and I…_do it_?" he asked angrily noting that she was wearing a bathrobe at the moment.

"Merlin—NO!!" she screamed. "What would make you think that I would ever do _that_ with you?" she hissed.

"Oh, come on. Just look at me," he smirked. She didn't acknowledge him at all. "So be a doll and get me some coffee. And while you're at it, recap the night for me."

"Be a doll and get you some coffee?" she laughed. "I think not. If you ask for it politely I will get it for you and then I will recap the night for you."

"Fine. Granger, will you please get me some coffee?" he said through clenched teeth.

"That doesn't sound sincere enough," she said crossing her arms.

"May I PLEASE have some coffee?!"

"Yes, you may," she said getting up. "Cream and sugar?" she yelled from the other room. All she heard was "uhhh" so she decided to put a little cream and sugar in it for him. "Here you are," she said handing it over.

"Recap the night, please."

"Fine, your majesty. So as you know, it was the office Christmas party. We all met up at an Italian restaurant where you and everyone else had a little to much to drink. I, however, only had one glass of wine," she said proudly. "So after we ate we all came back to our office to have that stupid gift exchange. Then you and everyone else proceeded to get even more drunk. You, however, had the most booze in your system. Then you and I were standing under the mistletoe so everyone was trying to get us to kiss—" she said until she was interrupted.

"But of course I would never kiss you," he scoffed. "So what happened? Did you try to kiss me?"

"No, actually, you grabbed me around the waist and started to make out with me. I tried to get you off of me but you are pretty strong. Then you 'came to your senses' and pushed me off screaming "Sweet Merlin, I kissed a Mudblood!"," she explained. "Then slowly the excitement died down and everyone left. Then I brought you here because I had no idea where you live and I didn't want to leave you in the office building because that seemed a little cruel. So even though you called me a Mudblood, I took you in my home and let you sleep on my couch. I even put a blanket over you," she smirked.

"Ahh. Sounds like a very interesting evening, huh?" he laughed. "Did I really kiss you?" he asked putting his fingers to his lips.

"Yes, you did. And you looked like you enjoyed in for a moment seeing as I couldn't get you off. Then when you realized that it was me you freaked out," she laughed.

"Yeah, sounds like something I would do," he said as his cheeks tinged a light pink. "So was it a good kiss?"

"Your breath was awful. And you were practically crushing me. And you called me a Mudblood. Other than that, sure it was a great kiss," she said sarcastically. "First kiss I've had in months," she mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. Do you need anything else or do you just want to get out of here?" she said impatiently.

"What day is it?"

"Saturday."

"My mother will probably be expecting me today. So I would like to stall getting there as much as possible," he smirked. "Do you want to help me kick this hangover?" he asked with a pout face.

"If you apologize for calling me a Mudblood," she said with a serious expression.

"Oh, come on, Granger!" he said with exasperation.

"That's my only condition. It is a foul word and it hurts to hear people say it to me. And never in all the years that I have known you have you apologized to me for saying it. So are you going to apologize?" she said.

"There is nothing to apologize for! I was drunk, hun. Imagine what we would have done last night if you were drunk too," he laughed.

"I don't even want to know what you are thinking about," she said disgusted. "Just get it in your head that I would never do anything like…like_ that_ with you or anyone like you for that matter."

"Fine. Granger, I apologize for calling you a Mudblood when I was drunk. I will say that again, I was drunk so it wasn't my fault. So can you stop talking about it and take care of me? I am in pain here," he said with obnoxious agony.

"I could send you home and your mother could take care of you," said Hermione pondering her options.

"No, no, no! She will smother me to death! I am begging you…I know you hate me for everything I have done in the past but I am begging you just this once to take pity on me and not send me to my mother just yet. She is even worse this time of year," he explained.

"Fine," she scowled. "But only until twelve. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to change out of this robe," she said leaving the room. The cat jumped back on to the couch with Draco much to his displeasure. Hermione returned in a few minutes wearing a snug yet comfortable pair of jeans, a form fitting cream colored sweater, and thick and fluffy bunny slippers. She had pulled her curly locks up into a sloppy bun.

"Nice slippers," he smirked. "Someone hasn't had a man over in awhile."

"Part of the condition of me taking care of you consists of you having to be nice to me," she spat. "And these slippers are very comfortable, by the way. I have an extra pair in the bathroom if you want them."

"Bring them on out," he laughed.

"I was kind of being sarcastic. But if you want them I will see if they fit you," she smirked going to get them. The pair she returned with were even worse because they were bright pink. She tried to stuff his foot in it but it kind of stuck out the back. "Oh well. They will still be comfortable," she laughed.

"I never thought I would see a time where Hermione Granger tried to stuff my foot in a pink bunny slipper," said Draco thinking out loud. "Well could you get me something for this hangover? What do you usually take once you have one?"

"I usually drink tons of coffee, eat a taco, and have an aspirin," said Hermione.

"You eat a taco?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yeah. It's my hangover food. Doesn't everyone have a hangover food?" she asked shrugging.

"No. You just aren't normal. I just have the potion my father used to make. Do you think you could make some for me?" he asked.

"I don't know how. But if you write down the ingredients I will happily make it. As long as I get to keep the list," she said.

"Fine. But it takes at least an hour to simmer and then it has to cool down."

"Well we will get you some coffee and an aspirin while you wait," said Hermione bringing in the pills. Then she spent the next hour in the kitchen mixing together the potion. It really wasn't a complicated potion, but it required a lot of ingredients. She was thankful that they were everyday household items. She had moved Draco to her bedroom so that he would be more comfortable as he tried to sleep. The cat had jumped on the bed and starting purring loudly right next to his head much to his annoyance.

She decided to check on him when the potion started its hour-long simmer. He didn't see her as she first entered, so he was stroking Snuffley when she came in. "Aww, are you two bonding in there?" she said from the doorway.

"Shut up, Granger. Where is my potion? I **need** it," he said impatiently.

"Jeez, you are so cranky and annoying in the morning. No—wait—that's you all of the time, isn't it?" He scowled. "Do you want me to get you a taco?" she offered knowing that he would flat out refuse it.

"No," he said stubbornly. "I will just wait for my potion."

"It will be an hour or longer," she said. "That taco is starting to sound better and better to you, isn't it?"

"No it isn't. Just talking about it makes me feel nauseated."

"That is the point. It is so disgusting that it feels great," she tried to explain as she sat down on the bed. "Do you want to watch some TV while you gripe and complain?" she asked picking up the remote.

"TV's are for muggles. I am not a muggle. Therefore I don't watch TV," he said stubbornly pulling the covers over his head.

"Oh come on! Living like a muggle for a few hours isn't going to kill you, Malfoy," she said turning it on.

"Turn it off! I refuse to watch it," he said loudly.

"Come on, Malfoy!" she said trying to pull the covers off of him.

"NEVER!!!" he said. She laughed until something came as a bit of a shock. Ron had apparated into the living room and had just now stormed into her bedroom.

**A/N: So do you guys like my story so far? If you don't then I really don't see the point in finishing it. So let me know. I was writing this chapter while I was watching the Office. Again. Haha. I was watching it when I made the last chapter, too. Same day. Haha. That show is just amazing. It was the episode where Dwight gave his speech from season two. "WE ARE WARRIORS!!" okay sorry. That probably didn't make much sense ********. So yeah, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I am trying not to make things go way to fast. That was my problem with the first edition of this story. Feedback is mucho appreciated. Hugs and kisses!!**


	4. Hungover Ferret

**A/N: Yay! Ron gets to have a freak-out! Fun fun, right? Okay so more dramatic stuff is coming up in this chapter. Please let me kno if this story is getting way to soap opera like. Because that wouldn't be good. But then again, I do like a little bit of drama to spice things up a bit. Alrighty, you've got a chapter to read. And I am hungry. So I am going to go get some mashed potatoes now or something. Mmmmm….**

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_Can't find a single cloud in the sky_

_Help me before I get used to this guy_

---

"_Hermione_?!" he screamed. "What is that _bloody_ ferret doing in _your __**bed**_?" he said in an outrage.

"Ron, this is completely explainable if you just give me a chance to explain it," she said trying to calm him.

"Sweet Merlin…you reproduced with the ferret, didn't you?!" he screamed.

"No, RONALD, I didn't! If you just shut up for a second I will explain it to you," she said ushering Ron out of the room.

"How can you possibly defend yourself here?" said Ron angrily.

"Just sit down on the couch and don't interrupt me. Last night was the office Christmas party and as you know Malfoy and I work together. So everyone except me got a little tipsy last night after the gift exchange. Slowly people started to leave and Malfoy and I were the only people left. He was completely plastered and I didn't know where he lives so I just brought him here to the couch last night…"

"He is in your bed, 'Mione…_your bed_," said Ron disdainfully.

"Well this morning when he woke up he asked me to make his hangover potion for him so that he wouldn't have to go home and be smothered by his mum all day. So I decided to help out a co-worker. And the only reason he is in my bed is because I thought he would sleep better and be able to relax more if he was in a bed."

"You two were laughing and goofing off. And he was wearing your bunny slippers, may I remind you," said Ron still disbelieving her story.

"Ron, you are being ridiculous. I am just helping out a co-worker of mine. He will be gone in an hour, okay? Why are you here, anyway?"

"I just thought I would come over to visit you and talk. I guess I should call the next time I want to see you," he said.

"He will be gone in an hour or hour and a half. You can come over later if you still want to. Trust me Ron, nothing happened. You have nothing to worry about. I am not a child, I can take care of myself, okay? I know what I am doing," she said frustrated.

"Fine. I will be over in a few hours. So…are you sure that you didn't do anything with him, Hermione?" he said. She could tell that he didn't trust her story at all which made her feel guilty and upset.

"I think I would remember if something happened between us, Ron. You can trust me. Just do me a favor and don't tell Harry about it yet. I don't want him to start spazing out on me like you did," she said. He nodded uncertainly and got up to apparate.

She went in to the kitchen to stir the potion before she went back to her bedroom. Draco had a smirk on his face when she entered. "Wow. He totally freaked out. I haven't seen the Weasel freak out like that in what feels like years. That was awesome," he laughed.

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Hermione angrily.

"Wow. He sees you as a seven-year-old in pigtails. He doesn't trust you at all," he smirked.

"He trusts me just fine. It's you that he doesn't trust. And he doesn't see me as a seven-year-old in pigtails. Can you just drop it, Malfoy?" she said. He could tell how upset she was over all of this.

"Fine, Granger. I'm sorry, but it was just hilarious. Imagine if Potter was here with him, too. That would have been even better," then he noted her facial expression. "Fine, I'll shut up and try to go to sleep now," he laughed pulling the covers over his head. "It's just great to see you loose it like that."

Hermione decided she would ignore him for the next hour as the potion finished simmering. She went to the couch in the living room to lay down because it already had blankets and pillows on it from the night before. She desired the company of her cat, but Snuffley had taken a real liking to Draco and was sleeping curled up in his arms in the other room. Hermione felt kind of guilty about Ron seeing her with Draco. She knew that she shouldn't feel guilty and that she didn't do anything wrong, but she still felt guilty anyway. She almost got up to call him and apologize but she decided not to.

An hour later the potion was finished. Hermione put a few tablespoons of the potion into a cup and brought it into the bedroom. Draco was fast asleep when she entered and he was clutching Snuffley who was also fast asleep. She almost felt like she should just leave him to sleep. He looked so peaceful—like a sleeping angel. She rubbed his arm gently and he woke up. "Sorry to wake you, but the potion is done," she said and she handed it over. He chugged it in an instant.

"Ahh…instant relief. I love this stuff. But not as much as I love this cat. You know, when I was growing up I was never a cat person. But this cat is the most amazing cat I have ever seen," he said as he stroked Snuffley.

"Yeah, that's great, now don't you think you should get going?" she said anxiously.

"Why are you so anxious to get me out of your house?" he chuckled.

"I'm not, it's just…you're better now so don't you want to get home?" she asked.

"Oh, I get it. The Weasel is coming back and you don't want him to see me. Am I right?" she didn't say anything. "Ah, I am right. Well I guess I will get out of your hair then and get home," he said taking off her slippers.

"I'm sorry…he just really doesn't want to see you here. You're right…he is extremely over protective. Just like an older brother. So I guess I'll see you Monday," she said pulling his am to get him out of her bed.

"Chill out, woman. I am getting out. I just wish I could take this cat with me," he sighed.

"Go to the pet store and get your own cat," she snapped.

"Wow you are tense," he smirked. "When does Weasley get here?"

"Any minute," she sighed.

"Ah. Maybe I should just take my time…" he sighed laying back down.

"No!! You need to get out now!" she said anxiously.

"I was kidding anyway. I'm going to the fire. I'll see you Monday," he said getting up.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" she asked. He shrugged. "Like…maybe a thank you for helping you out?"

"Oh. That. Sure. Thanks, Granger. Happy Christmas," he said and he flooed away. She sighed in relief because not even two minutes later Ron had come through the fireplace to check on her.

"'Mione…is_ he_ gone?" he said instantly.

"Yes, Merlin, he is gone. Ron, why did you freak out so much? You made me feel guilty when I had absolutely nothing to feel guilty about. I am not a child. I can look after myself and you are not in charge of what I do and you do not have a say in who I spend my time with," she blurted out.

"So that's what you think? You are one of my best friends, 'Mione, and yes I like to make sure that you are okay. And I hate Malfoy. And why are you defending spending time with him? How much time do you really spend with that bastard?" he said starting to flare up.

"I work with him, Ron! I have to see him on nearly an everyday basis. Hating him is just a waste of energy. I am not saying that I am defending him and that I want to spend time with him. He was only here because he needed help. So I decided to help out a co-worker. What is the big deal?" she asked angrily.

"The fact is that it is Malfoy! _Malfoy_, Hermione. He is a bastard and I don't want you to spend time with him. I am just looking out for you!"

"Well stop looking out for me! You always knew in school that I was a very independent person. I have not changed in any way except for the fact that I am a grown woman, Ronald Weasley," she screamed at him.

"Whatever. Have a nice Christmas, Hermione Granger," said Ron and he apparated away.

'_Shit…'_ thought Hermione. Once she fought with Ron it took forever for them to make up. They hadn't had many huge fights since school. This was probably the worst they had had for awhile, actually. _'Why was I defending Malfoy?'_ she thought to herself. _'I wasn't defending him. I was just angry because Ron was being an over-protective little ass. He and Harry always feel like they have to protect me. I do not need protection. I am a grown woman…' _her thoughts kept repeating in her head until she convinced herself that she was right and Ron was totally in the wrong. She filled Snuffley's food bowl and then decided to collapse on her bed. The pillow smelled strongly of Malfoy's cologne.

---

The rest of the week was quiet and lonely. She had a week off of work because it was Christmas. Harry and Cho were currently on their trip to New York and were going to be returning the day after Christmas. Hermione hadn't seen Ron or Draco since that Saturday morning. It was Christmas Eve and Hermione felt bored and lonely. She had spent the last few nights crying in her bed and drinking firewhisky because she missed Roger and her parents. It always got worse at Christmas. At least she had Snuffley to keep her company in her quiet and lonely Christmas in her flat.

She had gone to pick up a mini tree and decided to spend her Christmas Eve decorating it. The radio was on in the background as she hung the twinkle lights around the tree. Hanging the lights on the tree always reminded her of her father. Her father would always be in charge of putting the lights on the tree and he would always get frustrated with the lights when he took them out of the bag because they would be tangled and he would have to replace at least three or more of the bulbs.

She trifled through old boxes to pull out funky old ornaments made of popsicle sticks, glitter, and pipe cleaners. She smiled as she hung them on the tree. She had made many of these ornaments with her mother when she was younger.

She debated whether or not she could call Ron to apologize. Normally she wouldn't have broken down and apologized this quickly. But the fact that it was Christmas made her want to make up with him quicker. She just hated to be alone and she hadn't been able to talk to Harry or Ginny for awhile. She stroked the cat and finished decorating her tree. She glanced over at the clock which read 8:27_. 'To early to go to bed…'_ she sighed to herself._ 'When did I become so pathetic? Maybe I should just get out of the house for a little bit and go shopping.' _

"See you later, Snuffley. I am going to make a trip to Hogsmeade," she said cheerfully as she grabbed her coat, purse, and her favorite pair of boots.

She walked the snowy streets for a few minutes and went in to the Three Broomsticks to get a cup of coffee. She pulled her book out of her purse and read for about thirty minutes. She was actually enjoying herself until someone she wasn't expecting walked over to her table.

"Her-Hermione?" asked someone uncertainly.

"Roger?!" she said putting down her book. Roger was holding hands with Pansy Parkinson, who was obviously pregnant. "Sweet Merlin…so that's why you left me, huh?" she screamed at him motioning to Pansy's stomach.

"Herms, come on, chill out…" he said nonchalantly.

"Well? Is that why you left me? You left me and you never told me why. Do you not have the decency to tell me why you dumped me? Come on, Roger, we were engaged for Christ's sake…" she babbled. Pansy took this time to quietly slip out of the restaurant while Roger had a chat with Hermione.

"Alright, fine. You know that Pansy and I kind of had a thing in my last year at Hogwarts, right?" he said slowly.

"Yeah. You told me it was long over," said Hermione crossing her arms.

"It was…for awhile. I'm sorry, Hermione, but I kinda hooked up with Pansy one night a few months ago…and well…here we are," he shrugged.

"So you dumped me because you got that bitch pregnant?" she yelled.

"Hey, do not talk about her like that! It was a mistake that I was with Pansy that night but now I have a chance to be a father. I am not going to walk away from that, Herms!" he said raising his voice.

"You could have started a family with me. I was your fiancé. I loved you with all of my heart," she said quietly.

"I loved you too, Hermione, please believe that! I still love you!"

"If you still love me then why did you let me go the way you did?" she hissed.

"It's not that simple. Look I'm sorry, but Pansy and I are going to get married. I am going to be the father of the child that she is carrying. If that cuts into any of your screaming time then that's just too damn bad!" he yelled.

"Go to HELL!!" she screamed.

"Back at you," he yelled back. He turned to walk away. But she wasn't done with him quite yet.

"Roger…" she started. He turned. And then she smacked him in the face and kneed him in the groin. He doubled over in pain and surprise while she grabbed her book and purse and apparated home. She could explain all the emotions that were running through her at the moment. She felt amazing from smacking him in the face, but she also felt terrible about the fact that he had dumped her for something that he thought was better. She didn't have any tears left inside of her. And even if she did, she wouldn't cry. She was to angry to cry. She went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of firewhisky which she chucked at the wall instead of drinking. The glass had shattered all over the carpet but she didn't bother to clean it. Snuffley was currently hiding in the closet as Hermione was going through her rage.

After that lovely display she went to her room and just laid on her bed. She couldn't believe what had happened. This had by far been the most interesting Christmas Eve that she had experienced for a long time. She wanted to hunt down Roger and kill him. But another small part of her still had some feeling for him. In her awful state she decided to apparate to Ron's place. She just needed to apologize to him and vent her new discovery about Roger Davies. When she arrived at Ron and Lavender's apartment the couple was enjoying glasses of wine in front of the fireplace. They turned when they heard her pop in.

"Hermione," said Ron nonchalantly. "What could you possibly want."

"First of all I wanted to apologize about all the things I said to you last Saturday. I am actually very thankful that I have you and Harry to look after me. It is very sweet and you have no idea how much I appreciate it," she said sincerely.

"Is that it?" he asked.

"And I kind of had something that I wanted to talk to you about in private," she said. Lavender took the opportunity to get out of the room immediately as she said this.

"What's wrong?"

"Before I tell you about it I just wanted to make sure that you have forgiven me about the other day," she said.

"Yes, you are all forgiven. Now what is wrong?" She could tell that if she didn't have something to tell him it would have been harder to get him to forgive her. But she forgot about it and started listing more conditions.

"And when I tell you this I don't want you to freak out or do anything rash. And I don't want you to kill anyone," she said.

"Fine, fine, just tell me now," he said sitting down on the couch with her. "Merlin—it was Malfoy, wasn't it? Malfoy did something that you are about to tell me about and it is so awful and you think I am going to jump off of this couch the second you tell me to go kill him. Am I right? What did I tell you about Malfoy, Hermione? You should have trusted me from the get go. And now look…"

"Ron! Stop it! It wasn't Malfoy. I kind of had a run-in with Roger Davies this evening…" she started slowly.

"_What?_ What happened? What did he say?!"

"If you shut up I will tell you. Well I went to the Three Broomsticks with a book to read for awhile when he came in with Pansy Parkinson—"

"WHAT?! He dumped you for that bitch?!" yelled Ron standing up.

"You promised you wouldn't do anything rash. And that's not all…"

"What do you mean that's not all?" he asked sitting back down.

"She is pregnant," she said.

"Merlin! He dumped you because he got that little whore pregnant?" he asked angrily. She nodded. "Does he honestly think that she is better than you? Merlin. Wait until Harry hears about this. That Roger Davies is going to pay for this. 'Mione you really need to pick better men. How do you feel about this?"

"I feel like shit. How would you think it would feel?" she asked lamely.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Merlin, you must be feeling terrible. You really should stay here tonight," said Ron.

"No, I couldn't possibly. You and Lavender are celebrating your first Christmas living together. I really don't want to spoil your evening," she said.

"You aren't! I don't want to think of you being in your apartment all alone tonight thinking about your parents and about Roger. You can spend your Christmas here with us. I really do insist. Don't make me force you to stay here," he said with his hand on her shoulder.

"Fine, I guess I'll stay. It's impossible to say no to a Weasley anyway," she said and he gave her a hug.

"By the way, I was supposed to invite you earlier but I forgot when we were in our little fight. My mum wants you over for Christmas dinner tomorrow," said Ron.

"That would be great, Ron. I would love to come. I really love you guys. You are my second family," she said giving Ron a hug.

"I love you, 'Mione. Happy Christmas," said Ron. And then Hermione stopped back at home to grab her overnight things. After working up such a rage that evening, Hermione had grown very tired and fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow in Ron and Lavender's guest room.

**A/N: And there goes another chapter. No idea why am writing about Christmas time. It is September right now. Good times, good times. I am listening to Michael Buble!! Woot woot woot! Not that you care. So I'm sorry. Haha. So do you feel sorry for Hermione? I would be pissed off if I was her. So please read and review!! It is mucho appreciated ******


	5. Girl Talk

**A/N: Good morning readers. I thought I would greet you with a lovely author's note today. So now you can read my thoughts on things that don't matter at all. So my iTunes was on shuffle when I was messing around on the computer and it came to the song "Sweet Victory" like from the Spongebob soundtrack? Do you guys remember that episode? It was always one of my favorites. When Squidward put together the band for the bubble bowl and they sucked at first but then they surprised him in the end with the song "Sweet Victory". It was just the coolest thing ever. I just love Spongebob, don't you? I was thinking the other day. Spongebob has been on for SO MANY YEARS!! It has been on for half of my life and I have been a dedicated fan since day one. That makes me sad to think about how old it is. But I still love it ********. Alright, so that's enough talking about things that don't matter. Happy reading!!**

---

_They say that good things take time_

_  
But really great things happen in the blink of an eye_

---

Christmas dinner with the Weasley's was just the thing that Hermione needed to get her mind off of Roger. Ron hadn't told his family or Lavender about Hermione's situation because she didn't really want the pity and she didn't want to bring down the holiday.

It was a smaller gathering then usual for the Weasleys. Harry and Cho weren't there of course, and Bill and Fleur were also off vacationing for the holidays. However, Ron and Lavender were there along with Ginny and Dean. Fred and George were also there. Charlie wasn't able to come home for the holidays from Romania and Percy was visiting Penelope's family for Christmas that year.

Hermione desperately wanted to spend another evening at Ron and Lavender's place so she could avoid going home, but she knew that she had to just suck it up and get on with her life. Roger had dumped her for another woman and there was absolutely nothing she could do to change that fact.

At the moment Hermione was laying in the spare bed in Ginny's room. Ginny wasn't in her bed but Hermione didn't really notice. Her mind was restless and she felt like she just needed to walked around for a bit. Hermione walked downstairs to the kitchen to get some tea where she found Ginny had already beat her to it.

"Hey, 'Mione. What are you doing up?" asked Ginny.

"Just thought I needed something to drink. What are you doing up?"

"I just couldn't fall asleep," she said vaguely.

Seeing as Ginny had already boiled water, Hermione poured some of the extra into a mug and put a tea bag in it to let it seep for a few minutes. The girls sat in silence for a few minutes while Hermione fixed up her tea.

"So what's been bothering you, Hermione?" asked Ginny bluntly. That was one thing about Ginny. She never beat around the bush. Practically the complete opposite of Ron.

"How do you know something has been bothering me?" she asked looking down.

"You just don't look like yourself. It's pretty obvious. Well, obviously not to everyone else but it is to me. Let's just face it, Hermione, I know you pretty well. Which means I know when something is bothering you or not," said Ginny.

"It's just been a tough week. Christmas is always hard since my parents died."

"Yes, and I know that but it seems like there's more going on then just that," said Ginny softly.

"I just don't feel like talking about it. I can tell you, the telling gets old," she laughed.

"If you haven't told your best friend then you probably haven't told more then one person," guessed Ginny. "Am I right?"

"Yes, of course. You are always right."

"So Harry couldn't possibly know because he is gone. So just Ron knows what's up with you?"

"Yes. I kind of went to him in my weakest state. I just…I don't want to think about it right now. Today was good for me. Kind of like a breath of fresh air. It took my mind off of everything. Off of him," she sighed.

"Ah. So this is about Roger. Unless you have a new man," Ginny winked.

"Trust me, there is no new man," laughed Hermione.

"Hun, you really need to put yourself out there. I mean, I know Roger was important but you just need to move on and try to be happy," she said reassuringly.

"I was engaged, Ginny. You don't just come back from that. It takes a little more time. It is more difficult then just a regular break up. And things were starting to get slightly better until just now," she explained.

"What happened? Did you see him again?"

"Yes. And it was far worse than anything I could have imagined," she said.

"Come on. You have to tell me, 'Mione," said Ginny.

"He is with Pansy Parkinson. And she is pregnant," she said simply.

"WHAT?! That little _slut_?! He dumped you for _her_? Does he honestly think that he will be more happy with that little bitch then he would be with you? This is just RIDICULOUS!" said Ginny trying not to wake up the whole house.

"I guess so."

"Explain to me everything that happened. Don't leave anything out," said Ginny repositioning herself on her chair.

"Merlin. Any gossip in your hands is dangerous. On Christmas Eve I was tired of sitting on my ass in my house with my cat so I decided to go out. Since I am such a party girl I went to Three Broomsticks to get a cup of coffee. I was just sitting there reading when Roger Davies came in and walked up to me—"

"That bastard had the nerve to come up to you?" asked Ginny through clenched teeth.

"Yes. Now let me finish," she said frustrated. "So he walked up and said hi to me. So naturally I became flustered, but it was worse when I saw who he was holding hands with. It was Pansy Parkinson. And she is going to have her baby in just a few months. So Pansy slipped out of the place, she probably assumed I would smack her, so Roger and I talked. He explained what happened and how he is sorry and he still loves me. But he doesn't want to walk away from a chance to have a family."

"He could have started a family with you," said Ginny sadly.

"That's what I told him. And then I told him to go to hell. Then I punched him and kneed him in the groin. And that is pretty much all that happened," she laughed.

"Wow. I am so sorry, 'Mione," said Ginny hugging her.

"I just don't know how I am going to shake this," she said uncertainly.

"You need to get back out there. You can't let him hold you back. You deserve to be happy," said Ginny.

"It's just so hard. I thought he was my one in a million. I was so sure that he was 'the guy'. I am such an idiot," said Hermione angrily. "I sure know how to pick them, don't I?"

"Don't talk like that. Your one in a million is still out there. You just have to keep your eyes open. Don't let some jerk get you thinking that you won't find your one in a million, okay Hermione?"

"You're right. You always are. I just need to let this go," said Hermione to herself.

"Good. Now that that's settled, I think we should get back to bed. What do you think?"

"I think you are right. I am exhausted," said Hermione putting her tea cup in the sink.

'_I am going to forget about Roger Davies. He is totally replaceable. My one in a million guy is still out there and I am going to find him…' _Hermione thought to herself as she slowly drifted off to sleep in the Burrow.

---

Hermione woke up slowly as the rays of sunshine burst through the curtains in Ginny's bedroom. Ginny had already woken up and had gone downstairs to help her mother with breakfast. She groaned and pulled the covers over her head until Ron burst through her bedroom door which frightened her so much she fell out of her bed and landed on the hard wooden floor.

"Merlin, Ron!" she yelled.

"Ah…sorry I scared you," he said grabbing her hand to help her up.

"No, no, it's fine," she said sarcastically.

"I just have something really important to tell you. You are the first one to know," he said excitedly.

"Do you want to wait until Harry gets back?" she yawned.

"No, I will tell him when he gets back. I just have to tell someone now. And I don't feel like telling my parents yet. Not sure how I am going to do that," he said running his hand through his hair.

"Let me guess. You and Lavender are tying the knot?" she guessed.

"Uh…I don't know what you mean. Lavender and I are getting married!!" he said with ecstasy.

She didn't feel like explaining the "tying the knot" expression to him, so she gave him a hug instead. "That's great, Ron! I couldn't be happier for you," she said sincerely. "So tell me how you popped the question!"

"Well I have actually been trying to ask her for awhile and I had bought the ring but I just kept on getting nervous, you know? So I kind of just kept the box in my pocket all week for when I had the courage to ask her. And last night when everyone had gone to bed we just sat in front of the fire to talk. Just meaningless conversation. Then it just sort of popped out. And she said yes immediately!! Then I kissed her and then we—"

"That's great, Ron, but I don't really need to hear what happened after that," she said and he caught her drift.

"I can't believe she said yes," he said. His face was all red.

"I can believe it! You are such an amazing guy, Ron, and you are going to make the most amazing husband. Lavender is extremely lucky," said Hermione giving him a sisterly hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, 'Mione."

"So when are you going to tell your parents? When are you going to tell her parents?"

"Well, I already asked her parents for permission so it won't come as such a shock to them," he said.

"Aw, you asked her parents? You are such a gentleman."

He grinned. "I have no idea when I am going to tell me parents. I am completely dreading it, actually."

"Why? Your parents love Lavender, don't they? She isn't annoying like she was in school."

"They do like her, but I am still nervous. The second I tell them I am getting married my mom is going to want to start planning the wedding, my dad will give me "the talk", and I will never stop being questioned on when we will be giving them grandchildren," he said looking worried. She laughed.

"Then maybe you should wait for a week or so. When are you going to be giving them grandchildren?" she asked slyly.

"Hopefully not anytime soon. Can you honestly see me as a father?"

"I can definitely see you as a father. You are a Weasley, for goodness sakes!" she said encouragingly.

"Thanks for that. So…how are you doing with…well you know…" he said slowly.

"Roger? It's okay, Ron, you can say his name in front of me. I am not going to break down and start crying or anything. I am a big girl."

"I know you are, but I just want to make sure you okay. I mean, it only happened two days ago," he said.

"I know. But I am going to try to let this go. There is a guy out there for me…he just isn't the one. I'm sure some great guy will come around the river bend someday. I don't want you to worry about me, Ron. This is a huge day for you. I want you to be happy and I don't want you to be thinking about what's going on with me. Got it?" she really only believed half of what she was saying.

"Yes, I got it. Well mum's been cooking up a huge breakfast for before you leave, so we better get down there," said Ron and the two of them made there way down the stairs.

--- 

The breakfast was delicious and the company was delightful. Ron had almost told everyone at the breakfast table about the engagement, but he lost his courage as quickly as he had summoned it. Hermione was sad that the holiday had ended so quickly and that she had to go home. She hadn't really been home since that night she went to Three Broomsticks.

She walked in the door and flipped on the light. Snuffley had come out of the other room to greet her. She had felt a little guilty about leaving Snuffley there for two days. All she had done for the cat was overfill it's food bowl. She petted Snuffley sympathetically and threw her stuff in to her bedroom. She had to return to work the next day. She loved her job but she never felt like they got enough time off for holidays. But there wasn't anything she could do about it.

The phone ringing broke her out of her reverie. "Hello?"

"'Mione, it's Harry! Cho and I just got home," he said.

"That's great!! How was the trip?"

"It was really really great. I know I'm being vague. I will tell you more about it later. So I was wondering if you and Ron wanted to come over later tonight. Cho is going to be at her parent's house tonight so I thought we could get the old trio together at my place tonight," said Harry.

"Sounds fun. That should work out fine. But I can't stay late because I have work tonight," Hermione said.

"Alright. So…what? Eight sound good?" he offered.

"See you at eight," she said and hung up.

---

When Hermione went to work the next morning Draco was about twenty minutes late.

"I am not late!!" he screamed to no one as he came through the fireplace.

"Actually, you are late. Twenty-three minutes late to be precise," said Hermione looking at her watch.

"Shut up, Granger," he said looking very flustered.

"What's with you? You look awful," she said.

"Thanks. Just didn't really have a great Christmas and I have been stressed," he said simply sitting down at his desk.

"What's been stressing you out?" she asked with mocking pity.

"My mother," he said shuttering.

"Why?"

"First of all, she has been a disaster since my father died. Even though he was downright horrible to her she still loved him like crazy. And now she is so desperate to try to get me to settle down with the "right" girl. You should have seen the girl she tried to set me up with this time. She had this awful girl named Rachel staying at her house for the holidays while I was there. Blonde, well-endowed, idiot, pureblood, easy, rich, un-employed, obnoxious. Those are pretty much the only words to describe her," he said with a tense look on his face.

"Sounds like she's just your type," Hermione snickered.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on. Those were exactly the kind of girls that you were after when we were in school," she said.

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean I like those kinds of girls now. I like girls who are…well…smart. And the pureblood thing doesn't matter to me anymore," he said with a completely sincere face.

"Don't make me laugh," she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"A girl's blood doesn't make any difference to you now? I find that a little hard to believe, Malfoy," she said.

"Why do you find that hard to believe?"

"Hello…I am muggleborn. That was always the reason that you hated me in school!" she said indignantly.

"My father hated you for that reason. And at that time I always thought he was right about everything. The other reason I hated you was because I was always jealous of you. You were always so much smarter then I was," he said his cheeks pinkening.

Before Hermione could say anything Padma walked in. "Hey, gang. What's happening? I'm bored," she laughed.

"Malfoy was just telling me about how he likes half-bloods and muggleborns now," said Hermione.

Padma scoffed. "What is with you two? I don't have the same thoughts as my father anymore," Draco said trying to be reasonable.

"I don't believe you. Why don't you prove it?" said Padma with an evil face.

"What do you want me to do?" said Draco rolling his eyes.

"I am going to set you up on a date with a muggleborn. And you have to be nice to her," said Padma waiting for his facial expression.

"Fine," he said nonchalantly. Padma looked shocked.

"Are you sure? I mean…you are Draco Malfoy. You were the biggest muggleborn hater in all of Hogwarts," said Padma as if she were trying to talk him out of it.

"I'm not that guy anymore. I have no desire to continue the Malfoy bloodline. So who do you want me to go on a date with?" he asked.

"Umm…I don't know many muggleborns. Got any ideas, Hermione?" she asked. Hermione shrugged. "Ah, I know! You can go on a date with Hermione!" said Padma looking pleased with herself.

"WHAT?!" they both said at the same time.

"Don't drag me into this…" Hermione whined.

"Yeah, don't drag her into this," said Draco.

"Hey. You had no say in the person I got to choose. And I choose Hermione. Unless you don't think she is worthy of dating you…" said Padma with a wicked smile on her face.

"I never said that," he scowled. "But come on! Hermione? I can't date her. EVER. We have a history…" he protested.

"You said you weren't the same person. So why not prove it by taking out this lovely muggleborn? I'm not making you get married. You just have to go to a restaurant and eat. And maybe talk a little. You know, someday you two might thank me for this. Or not," she said.

"Fine," he snarled.

"I never agreed to this!" said Hermione angrily.

"Oh, come on, Hermione! Just think…you…you get a free meal out of this. And he isn't that ugly. Just look at that ass…" whispered Padma reassuringly. Draco chuckled to himself. And then she left.

"I do not want to go out with you," said Hermione angrily.

"You weren't high up on my list either, Granger," he said.

"If you didn't make that stupid bet with her then we wouldn't have to go on this date. You know, it isn't too late. Go tell her you give up the bet," said Hermione.

"Never! I am the winner of all bets," he said proudly. "I am a Malfoy."

She sent him an evil glare which he chose to ignore. "I loathe you," she said.

"I loathe you too. Italian food okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

**A/N: So there's another chapter. I hope you are all liking it okay. I am having fun writing it even if it is a crap pile ********. So Ron and Lavender are getting married. I hope that's okay with all of you. But it doesn't really matter because the story isn't about those two. It is about Draco and Hermione. **


	6. The Date

**A/N: New chapter! This would happen to be chapter six. I am just chilling out here. Ate some dinner. So now I have the energy to write this chapter for you. So you better enjoy it!! It's time for the arranged date!! WOOO!! That's enough of that. In this chapter we will follow Draco for a little bit because I haven't really done that in the past chapters. So I hope you like it. **

---

_Thought the chances to meet somebody like you were a million to one_

_I can't believe it_

_You're one in a million_

---

Hermione scrambled around her flat in her pink bathrobe in a panic. She had no idea why she was freaking out so much. It was just an _arranged _date with Draco Malfoy. Her hair was still wet and in a towel, she hadn't decided what she was going to wear yet, and he was going to be there to pick her up in fifteen minutes. She hadn't been on a date in so many months that she had forgotten how much prep time she really needed.

"MERLIN!! What am I going to wear?!" she shouted at Snuffley who was hiding under the bed. As she was sifting through her closet something Ginny said came in to her head: _"__Well some day in the near future most likely you will be asked out by a great guy and you will have nothing to wear. Then you can wear that dress."_

Hermione rummaged through the closet and found the forest green dress with rhinestone embellishments way in the back. _'I guess I have no choice…' _she thought as she threw off her robe and slipped the dress on. She went over to her mirror and pulled the towel off her head. With a quick flick of her wand, her hair was dry and cascaded down her back in long, beautiful, silky curls. Right after she touched up her makeup and put on her strappy shoes she examined herself in the mirror. _'Not bad for only fifteen minutes of prep time…'_ she thought. He rang her doorbell _'How muggle' _she thought and she grabbed her silver clutch purse and coat and ran to the door.

There stood Draco Malfoy looking very "G-Q-ued" up.

"Hi," said Hermione simply.

"Merlin…you look…" his jaw was still dropped down.

"Yes?" she asked feeling a little self conscious.

"Nice," he finished.

"Thanks, you look pretty…nice…yourself," she said not really knowing how to act. The two of them just stood there for a moment, neither really knowing what to do next. "So…are we going to go or are we just going stand her and stare at each other?" she asked bluntly.

"Ah, right let's go. Sorry…just kind of zoned out there for a second," he said.

"So are we apparating there, or what?" she asked.

"No, we are driving. I do have a car, you know." She was a little surprised by this. Cars were such a 'muggle' thing. "Here you go," he said holding open the door for her. She sighed. This was a **nice** car. He got in his side and started up the engine. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"So…how was your day," he asked awkwardly.

"Um…fine. How was yours?"

"Yeah…it was fine I guess. Uneventful," he shrugged. Silence. "Merlin, this is awkward," he said thinking aloud.

"Just a little bit," she laughed. "How can we make it…not awkward?"

"No idea. I guess if we have a normal conversation maybe," he offered.

"Okay. Harry and Ron would kill me—or you if they knew I was here. This would be betrayal in their eyes," she said.

"My mother would kill me if she knew I was here. This would be betrayal in her eyes," he smirked.

"But hey—we can't get in trouble for this. We were forced. Normally I would never date you—no offence," she said.

"None taken. I would never date you on a normal basis either," he said. "That dress looks nice on you."

"Thanks. Ginny forced me to buy it."

"She has good taste, I guess," he smiled.

"Yes, she does. So where are we going?"

"That Italian place we went to for the Christmas party. Sorry if that isn't very original, or whatever," he said. "I didn't really have time to plan something."

"Yeah, I understand. Italian is great," she said reassuringly. They pulled up into the parking lot and the valet took the car.

"Shall we?" he asked.

"We shall," she responded and they strolled arm-in-arm to the entrance. "Did you at least get reservations or did you not have time?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yes, I got reservations. I'm not an idiot. But even if I didn't we would have gotten a table anyway because, well, I _am_ a Malfoy," he smirked.

"You are such a spoiled, egotistical little—"

"You are an annoying, know-it-all—"

"Mama's boy, man whore—"

"Man whore? Oh, that's original," he scoffed. She smiled. "How about red wine?"

"Sounds great. Wow. The salad hasn't even come and we are already tossing insults at each other. What a surprise."

He laughed. "Yes, well otherwise we just wouldn't be ourselves, huh?"

She smiled. A few minutes later the salad arrived which was served with breadsticks and a delicious raspberry vinaigrette which Hermione enjoyed immensely. She was actually surprised that she and Draco were actually having lengthy conversations where they weren't arguing the whole time. She was actually somewhat enjoying herself. For the main course they had ordered spaghetti (how original, ordering spaghetti at an Italian restaurant).

For dessert, they decided that they would share a piece of carrot and almond cake with a rich and creamy frosting. Hermione couldn't get to it fast enough when the waiter had set it down on the table.

"Wow, you sure can eat," he said as she dug in.

"Yes I can. Wait, that's bad isn't it?" she laughed.

"No, it's good you eat. All the girls my mom sets me up don't eat anything. It's creepy," he said as he stuck his fork in the cake.

"Merlin, this is SO good isn't it," said Hermione. "Maybe we should order more."

"Yeah, it's pretty great," he said after taking his first bite. Hermione had eaten about three fourths of it so he really only got a few tastes of it.

"Even if the date was going horrendously right now, this cake would definitely save it I'm telling ya," she said.

"You talk a lot," he observed.

"Yeah. It's annoying, isn't it?" she said.

"No, I think it's cute," he said voicing his thoughts and then he felt like an idiot.

After the cake and coffee was finished, Hermione and Draco made their way to the car. The valet drove it up and held open the door for Hermione. "Have a good evening, miss," he said and he tossed the keys to Draco.

"Well, I had an interesting time with you tonight, Granger," said Draco as they started driving home.

"Does that mean good or bad?" she laughed.

"Hmmm…not bad. But not really good either. You know what I mean? But I guess I could say I had…fun…" he said.

"I had fun too. I still loathe you, though, with all of my heart," she said.

"Yes. I loathe you as well," he smiled. They talked for a few minutes about work until he pulled up to Hermione's flat. "Well I guess I will walk you to the door seeing as it is the gentlemanly thing to do. Not that I'm a gentleman," he said as he got out of the car.

"Ahh, thank you, kind sir," she said sarcastically as he walked her to the door.

"Soo…should I give you a kiss goodnight?" he asked.

"I think you might maybe may," she laughed. "Only on the cheek though."

"Alright," he said.

He leaned in and kissed her cheek sweetly. Then he backed up and looked into her beautiful, brown, unblinking eyes. And then he felt himself moving forward to kiss her lips. Hermione's brain was telling her to back away, and that this was Draco Malfoy, but she did just the opposite. She continued to kiss him and he put his hand around her waist as he deepened the kiss. They were leaning against the door kissing until Hermione finally stopped by putting her hands on his chest.

"Granger, I'm sorry…I just…"

"It's my fault too. We just got…caught up in the moment," she said uncertainly.

"Right, right. Sorry, I should really get going. Merlin, I'm sorry we shouldn't have…" he looked so flustered and embarrassed. "I can't believe I was just making out with Hermione Granger…and I wasn't drunk," he laughed. "Sorry…it won't happen again I'll just go."

"Chill out! It's fine. Let's just forget about it. Friends?" she asked putting her hand out.

"Friends," he said as he shook it.

"See you on Monday," she said and she kissed his cheek.

"See you Monday," he said and he walked back to his car. _'Why oh why did I kiss her like that?'_ he thought angrily. _'I am such an idiot. My father would have my head if he were still alive. Which means mother will have my head.'_

He speeded home because he desperately wanted the evening to end. He was so confused. _'So what…does this mean I like Hermione Granger now? I thought it to be impossible. I gotta shake this. It's just some weird phase because I have been in such a dating rut. I do not fancy Hermione Granger at all…that would just be…well…weird. And not at all me. It's not like she fancies me at all either…but Merlin she is an amazing kisser… '_

When he got home there was an unfortunate surprise waiting for him.

"Merlin the great, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Oh, Drakey, you are so funny!!" squealed Rachel, the awful girl his mother had tried to set him up with.

"How the bloody hell did you get in here?" he puzzled.

"Aw, is that any way to greet me, hunny?" she asked coming over to hug him.

"Woah, woah!! Back up," he said.

"Honestly, it's like you don't even want me here," she whined in her obnoxious voice.

"You're exactly right. I don't want you here."

She just laughed and gave him an extremely tight hug. "Where were you tonight, baby? You look nice," she said running her finger down his arm.

"I went out…with a friend," he said vaguely. If Rachel knew about him going out with Hermione then it would definitely reach the ears of his mother.

"You weren't on a date, were you?" she asked accusatorially.

"What? No. And even if I was—which I wasn't—it wouldn't matter because I do not have to be loyal to you because I am not even dating you and never have! Now don't take this personally, but get out," he snapped pointing to the door.

"What?! But I thought that maybe…you would want me to stay here tonight with you," she said with a huge puppy dog face as she put her arms around his neck. He personally found it sickening.

"Come on, Rachel, just get out of my house, please?" he whined.

"Oh, come on you know we would be perfect for each other," she said huskily. "Merlin, you are tense," she said as she sat him down on the couch. "Let me get that for you," she said and she started rubbing his shoulders. He didn't shove her off because it felt great and frankly, he was tense. "Feel better?" He nodded. "So can I stay just a wee bit longer?" she begged.

"Fine," he felt himself say.

"Great. So what do you want to do?" she asked naively as she sat herself on his lap.

"Ummm…did you have an idea?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yeah, I had a few ideas," she smiled. Before he knew it, she had thrown herself on him and started to kiss him with such passion that it frightened him. Not having any girl over for awhile, he felt that he deserved this so he kissed her back just as feverishly. It had totally blocked out his thoughts that he had been kissing Hermione just minutes before. As much as he hated this girl, she was a great kisser and he couldn't resist.

---

Hermione dug her keys out of her purse and let herself in. She walked over to the message machine and found it blinking. She pushed the button and heard Ron Weasley's voice.

"_Hey, 'Mione it's me. I just called so I could talk to you. I told my parents about my engagement. Yikes. I wanted to tell you about it. So yeah, I have no idea where you are so call me when you get back. Talk to you later, bye."_

The machine beeped and she debated whether she should call him back right away. _'Just catch him tomorrow…_' she thought. She went to her room and changed into some fleece pants and a comfy top. She jumped on her bed and flipped on the TV. She didn't really watch the TV much—she usually just read a book. She flipped channels until she found re-runs of Friends. Snuffley jumped up and cuddled up with her. Although she was watching the TV, her thoughts were totally somewhere else. After a few hours of mindless television she drifted off to sleep with Snuffley by her side.

---

Draco woke up the next morning to the sunshine pouring through the curtains. There was a strong smell of a delicious home cooked breakfast coming from the kitchen so he decided to investigate it. When he walked in he found Rachel wearing an awful, frilly, pink apron.

"Morning, sweepy head!" she squeaked as she ran over and kissed his cheek. He grimaced.

"Did you cook all of this?" he asked surprisingly as he looked at the table and all the food.

"Me? No, no, silly!! I went out and bought it at a diner. I just put it on the pretty plates. Do you like my apron? I think it's just the cutest thing in the world!" she said at warp speed.

"Oh…it's great…look about last night…" he started.

"I thought it was amazing, too! Do you want to go steady? I could even move in here! You have plenty of room," she smiled.

"Are you freaking kidding me?! You need to get out of here. Last night was a huge mistake," he said.

"No, it was great. Are you nervous or something? What's wrong?" she asked putting her arms around him, which he quickly removed.

"Look you are really nice and_ very_ pretty, but I am just not attracted to you. Now can you get out of my house?!" he asked trying to be as nice as possible.

"No," she said crossing her arms.

"What do you mean NO?" he said his voice raising.

"You can not share an evening like that with me and then kick me out for no reason. I am not a hooker, you know," she scowled.

"You want a reason?! You are obnoxious, stupid, easy, and the most annoying girl I have ever met! Now get the hell out of my house!!" he screamed. She burst into tears and threw off her frilly apron and ran out the door. "Merlin. That was probably a little bit harsh," he said to himself.

He felt guilty eating the breakfast, but he did so anyway. As he was finishing his coffee and reading the paper, an owl came and tapped the window. He grimaced. It was his mother's owl. Afraid of what he would find, he opened it.

_Draco-_

_I cannot believe what I just heard. Rachel came over here just a minutes ago a sobbing wreck. I invited her in and told her to say what was wrong. At first all she could say was your name. So of course it peaked my interest. I finally got her to stop crying long enough to tell me what happened. She said that she had spent the night with you and this morning you yelled at her, called her easy and stupid, and then kicked her out of the house._

_How could you do this, Draco? Rachel is absolutely perfect for you. If your father was still alive you two would have been married already. I don't see why you don't like this girl. She is pretty, she likes you, and she is a pureblood. In your father's memory you need to get married and produce an heir. It is your duty as a Malfoy. How many times have I had to explain this to you? If not Rachel, why haven't you found anyone else? You are such a disappointment. You really need to get a jump on finding a girl. _

_I know that you say you want to fall "in love" but come on, honey, you need to be realistic. Love doesn't exist in the pureblood community. You just need to marry someone of good breeding who you are attracted to and you need to have a son. If you don't find someone in a year I will have to arrange a marriage for you. I am sorry, but if you don't change then drastic changes have to take place._

_-Your Mother_

He frowned and crumpled up the letter. The last thing he ever wanted was an arranged marriage. That was what his parents had, and they had the most dysfunction relationship he had ever seen. All his father did was beat his wife, get drunk every night, and faithfully serve the Dark Lord. That was the last thing Draco wanted.

Then he thought of his childhood. He spent half of his childhood in fear because his father would beat him and his mother. His father had never really spent any other time with him other than that. Seeing that they were so rich, Lucius would just buy things for Draco and Narcissa so he wouldn't have to deal with them. That was basically the only contact Draco I had with his father when he was younger. When he was older he was beaten on school holidays if he hadn't gotten anything lower than an "Exceeds Expectations" on any exams. Then the only time his father spent with him was when he was going to use Draco for any plans concerning the Dark Lord. In short, Draco did not want to become his father. He really only wanted to marry if he was in love. The thought of an arranged marriage—especially one with someone like Rachel—was the worst idea ever.

He knew that his mother would want to see him later to discuss more about the issues concerning marriage, so he decided to enjoy the time he had now to kick back and be lazy for the rest of the day. He tried and tried to get the thoughts of his mother's letter out of his head but the words just kept ringing in his ears for hours on end.

---

**A/N: So, end of chapter. Let me kno if you enjoyed it or if you despised it. Hugs and kisses to all!! All the people that review, that is. **


	7. Movie Night

**A/N:.I got nothing to say. So let's just get to it!!**

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_All this time I was looking for love_

_  
Trying to make things work_

_  
They weren't good enough_

---

Hermione woke early on Monday morning when Snuffley hopped up on her bed. "Well aren't you a reliable little alarm clock?" she asked. Unable to fall back asleep, she decided to take a shower and get ready for work. She was actually getting excited because this week she and Draco would be going to Hogwarts to teach kids how to apparate. It was one of her favorite things about her job, and Draco's least favorite.

After showering, drying her hair, and applying her makeup, she walked over to the closet to pick an outfit. She settled on a pair of black pants, a blue silk blouse with black polka dots with a thin black belt around the waist, and a pair of black heels. She didn't feel like doing anything to her hair so she just lazily pulled it back with a silky black ribbon. Looking at her watch, she discovered she had enough time for breakfast before she left.

'_Merlin…I need to get more food in this place…'_ she thought as she glanced into the practically bare refrigerator and vacant pantry. There was still enough cereal for one bowl, however. She poured it into the bowl only to grab the milk and find that it had expired three days ago._ 'Guess I will have to eat it dry…'_

After eating her dry, non-filling cereal she went through the fireplace to the office.

"Morning, Granger," grunted Draco.

"Morning, Malfoy. How was your weekend?" she asked as she started filing some papers.

"Ugh…don't even want to talk about what happened with Rachel," he said.

"Something happened with Rachel?" she asked curiously.

"Didn't I just say I didn't want to talk about it?" he whined.

"Yeah, sorry. I am just a naturally nosy person," she smiled.

"I'll say. So when I get home from our dinner Rachel is in my house—still don't know how that happened—and then she gets all up in my grill, you know? And then she is all like—"

"I thought you said you didn't want to talk about it," sighed Hermione not really caring about it.

"Yeah, and then I can't get her to leave and she is all over me and is calling me 'Drakey' which disgusts me. Then in the morning she goes out to some diner and buys breakfast and brings it back to my place and puts it on plates to make it look like she cooked it. I had to scream at her to get her out of the house. Then she starts crying and goes to my mum. Then my mum writes me a letter about what a disappointment I am. So yeah, I had a great weekend," he finished.

"Interesting. So she was there in the morning? I thought you would have gotten rid of her before then," said Hermione.

"Yeah, well one thing led to another, and…yeah I made a mistake," he said. "If I ever see her again it would be too soon."

"Oh," she said not really knowing how she felt about it.

"So…about Saturday. I actually had some fun with you," said Draco.

"Wow. Bet it took a lot for you to say that," she laughed.

"Yes, it does take a blow to my pride but I admit that I had a good time. We should do it again," he said.

"What? Are you asking me out?" she asked mildly horrified.

"Merlin—no! I mean, we should just go out together as friends. That is, if you want too. If you don't then I totally understand."

"Sure. We should do it again. But if Ron and Harry find out—"

"They won't find out. And I don't understand why it would be such a big deal if they did," he shrugged.

"Well lets think about it. You hate them, they hate you. They wouldn't want me spending time with you. I mean, you saw how Ron reacted when you were at my house after the Christmas party," she said.

"Yeah, that was pretty funny. Look, just don't tell them about it. I won't be telling my mum about it. She would totally flip. I mean, you are a Mud—muggleborn," he said quickly.

"Nice cover," she frowned.

"You know, Potter and Weasley shouldn't be in charge of your personal life anyway, Granger," he said.

"I know that, but they are my friends and I care about their opinions. They are just looking out for me and I love them for that. We can talk about this later, okay? Right now I need to get this stuff done," said Hermione gesturing to her mountain of paperwork. "You know? I think I am actually going to go out for a little walk, maybe find something to eat. Only had dry cereal this morning."

"Alrighty then," he said. He managed to get a little bit of work done in her absence, that is, until Padma came in to question him about the date. Her curiosity was basically driving him up a wall in annoyance.

"So? How did it go?! Did you even take her out?" asked Padma eagerly.

"Oh my gosh, how was it? What did you wear? What did she wear? Did you kiss her?!" she asked bouncing up and down.

"A gentleman does not kiss and tell. And neither do I," he scoffed. She obviously didn't get the joke, so she kept talking.

"Well, what did you wear?"

"Clothes," he replied monosyllabically.

"What did she wear? Did she look pretty?"

"A dress. And sure."

"Awesome. Well, I want more details at lunch. Bye bye!" she said running out.

'_How Seamus puts up with that annoying girl I will never know…'_ he thought to himself as he continued to work. Hermione came back about ten minutes later looking happier now that she wasn't hungry.

The work day seemed to stretch on forever. Hermione absolutely hated Mondays. But then again, who enjoys Mondays? She enjoyed her lunch break with Seamus and Padma and finally got out of work at five. She and Draco had made plans to go to dinner together on Wednesday. She had convinced him to do it the muggle way—dinner and a movie. Since he didn't want to go to an actual cinema, they both agreed to go out to dinner and then watch a movie at Hermione's flat. On Thursday they were to go to Hogwarts for apparition lessons.

Hermione settled on spending her afternoon at the muggle mall. That was one of her problems. When she was bored she went shopping and ended up spending money on stuff she didn't need. She blamed some of the habit on Ginny. Ginny had become shopping obsessed lately as well. For Hermione it was just a cure to Monday blues. And I-don't-have-a-boyfriend blues.

Although she hated how loud and crowded it was there, she still found it somewhat peaceful because she felt invisible there. She couldn't really explain it. She browsed in a few shops and tried on a few things but she just didn't see anything that struck her as a must have buy.

Of course when she would try something on she would walk out of the changing room to look at it in the three-way mirror. The employees took that time to tell her how great it looked and that there were some shoes that matched it. But she didn't find it all that convincing.

She was kind of looking forward to her time with Draco. They only other guy friends she really had were Ron and Harry. It was kind of fun to mix it up a little. And the fact that Ron and Harry would flip out if they knew she was spending time with Draco made it all the more fun. She couldn't deny that Draco was extremely good-looking, but she just wasn't all that attracted to him. He had a little bit of, well, an ego problem in her opinion.

She continued to stroll down the rows and rows of shops. After buying a pair of comfy sweat pants, she left the mall to just go chill out at home.

---

It was closing time on Wednesday, the night that Hermione and Draco were going to have their _just friends_ dinner and movie. They were going to go home, though, for two hours before he would meet up with her at her flat.

When she got home she decided to change out of her work clothes. It was just a casual night in, so she changed into a pair of snug, yet comfortable jeans and a lacy white camisole layered with a grey sweater. She also pulled her curly hair back with a small, white ribbon.

This was a movie night, and you couldn't have a movie night without massive amounts of candy and junk food. She set up all the food and looked at it thinking she outdid herself a little bit. She had a bowls of M&Ms, Twizzlers, jelly beans, Tootsie Rolls, a plate with raw cookie dough, bags of popcorn, three kinds of soda, chocolate covered raisins, Skittles, chips and salsa, and more. And that wasn't all. She had bagel pizzas and mozzarella sticks, and tater tots that were frozen. She made the mistake of shopping when she was hungry, which resulted in her buying nearly every candy and junk food she had laid eyes on.

She then filled the cat's food bowl and proceeded to read for a few hours until he came knocking on her door. She looked at her watched and gasped. She hadn't realized just how much time had escaped her. When she was reading she was clearly in another world.

She opened the door to find, of course, Draco Malfoy. He was also fairly casual in a pair of baggy jeans and a hoodie.

"Hey," he said casually.

"Hello. Did you drive or apparate?" she asked.

"Oh, I apparated. Why?"

"Just wondering. Come on in," she said opening the door wider.

"Thanks. So, where were you thinking about eating?"

"Well, I thought that we could be like muggles and get some fast food and bring it back here to eat while we watch some movies," she offered.

"Sounds good to me, I guess. We apparating or taking your car?" he asked.

"Take my car, if you don't mind."

"Sounds fine," he said and they both walked out. "That heap of junk is your car?" he asked eyeing it.

"Hey, not everyone in the world is as rich as you, Mr. Inheritance," she scowled.

"Fine, fine. Sorry," he snickered as he got in.

She put the keys in and turned them. After a few tries, she got the engine going. Draco spent a good deal of time laughing about that. "Oh, shut up," she said. "You think you are so much better than me because you have so much money. Well you know what? I am just as good as you. And I get paid just as much as you," she said.

"True. But we hardly get paid anything," he pointed out.

"Well you have all of your daddy's money, so you are basically loaded. So go ahead, rub it in my face," she chuckled.

"I will, actually," he smirked.

"Do whatever. It isn't bothering me," she said.

"You are cute when you are aggravated with me," he laughed.

"Then I must be cute to you 24/7, then," she said smartly.

"Somehow I just knew you would use that comeback. But hey, if I was really as horrible as you say I am then why would you be spending time with me outside of work?"

"Beats me," she said honestly.

"Couldn't be my devastatingly good looks, could it?" he smirked.

"Couldn't be," she laughed.

They pulled up to the drive-through and Hermione ordered the food. And she got the works—cheeseburgers, fries, chicken strips, and milkshakes. She had to slap Draco's hand when he tried to eat one of the fries. "What is your problem, woman?" he asked.

"I don't eat in the car. You have to wait till we get back," she said.

"Fine," he said and he grumbled a few things under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Never mind," he said with a pout. "All I wanted was one little French fry…"

"You are such a baby. Just wait till we get home and you can eat," she said. He practically hopped out of the car when they finally pulled up to Hermione's place. "Isn't someone an eager beaver?" she asked.

"I am hungry," he whined. "Now hurry up."

"I swear, you are extremely spoiled. And I don't even think you are aware of it," she said.

When they walked in she led the way to the living room where the second TV was. His jaw literally dropped when he saw all of the food that she had laid out on the table. "Sweet…Merlin…you went a little nuts with the candy, I see…"

"Yeah, just a little bit."

"How is it that you don't weigh five hundred pounds?" he marveled.

"No idea, really. Okay, now we have a few movies here but I don't know what you've seen and what not," she explained.

"I don't own a TV. I haven't seen anything," he replied.

"Then we have a lot of work to do. Now, I know that it is a little cheesy but we are going to start out with a Star Wars movie. It is classic. I watched them when I was a lot younger with my cousins," she said.

"Never heard of it."

"Then sit down! If you like the first one we will watch all of them," she smiled mischievously.

"And how many are there?"

"Six."

"Oh, Merlin this is going to be a long night," he sighed.

"Don't worry, we won't watch the first three. We will start with the one's that came out in the 80's. New Hope is the first one, but I like Empire Strikes Back best so we will start with it first. If you don't like it we won't watch New Hope or Return of the Jedi. But of course, I don't see how you wouldn't like it," she said.

"I can tell this is going to be a nerdy movie already. Well, just start it up, I am not getting any younger here," he said.

"We can't start it yet."

"Why the hell not?" he asked.

"There are rules for movie nights like this."

"What?" he frowned.

"Ron and Harry and I always have rules. First of all, no talking. And I mean it. Second of all, we do not pause the movie. It breaks the flow of everything and it is hard to get the flow back after you have it. No answering the phone, either. It is a distraction to the movie and it breaks the no talking rule anyway. And lastly, you should get comfortable now because after the movie starts you can't move around a lot. It is distracting. So you just need to get comfortable now and prepare not to talk. And don't ask questions about the movie. Your questions will most likely be answered by the end of the movie anyway. I really must emphasize the no talking rule. Ron always breaks it and it drives Harry and me nuts. So get comfy because the movie is going in in thirty seconds," she said in all seriousness.

"You are completely nuts. But I will follow your stupid rules nonetheless, Granger," he frowned.

They both got situated on the couch with pillows and blankets and Hermione finally pressed play on the movie. After one minute of complete silence and perfect flow Draco started hounding her with questions. "What's with the floating yellow words? Am I supposed to read that? It's kind of hard to read. Is it important? Am I missing something?" She just chose to ignore him and he eventually stopped.

The two of them had consumed a large amount of the junky food after an hour of the movie. Draco had complained about his stomach ache, but yet again she ignored him. She had followed every rule perfectly well while he went out of his way to try to break all of them. He would talk incessantly and continue to move around on the couch. Only he wasn't able to pause the movie because she had skillfully hidden the remote from him. He also didn't have a phone, so he couldn't break that rule. So since there were two rules he couldn't break he decided to talk more and move around on the couch more. Basically he just wanted her to crack and break her own rules by yelling at him. But so far he hadn't succeeded. It was like she was in her own little movie world and nothing could break her out of it.

An hour later the movie was over and Draco had failed at trying to get Hermione to break the rules. "So what did you think of the movie? That is if you paid attention to any of it," she asked him as the credits were rolling.

"It was very…interesting. So what happens to that guy who got frozen in the freezer-ma-gigger thing?" he asked.

"Han Solo? You would have to find out by watching the next movie," she said.

"Let's watch it then. I think its fascinating!"

"Fine, but we are only watching the next one if you promise to sit still, shut the hell up, and follow the movie night rules," she offered. "That is, if you can possibly go two and a half hours without talking. That would probably be a record for you. And they say women talk a lot…"

"Alright, I will follow your stupid little pathetic rules," he said crossing his arms. "Fire up the movie."

She smiled and put in Return of the Jedi. She was shocked, but Draco stayed quiet and unmoving for the whole movie. Although it was getting late, they put in New Hope after Return of the Jedi. But both of them fell asleep during it.

The next morning Draco woke up on the couch horizontally with Hermione's head on his shoulder and her arm around his chest. His hand was around her waist, which he hadn't done voluntarily. _'Well now this is awkward…'_ he thought knowing that any move that he would make would wake her up. _'She smells nice…'_ he also thought stupidly. _'Merlin, what time is it?'_ he looked at his watch and almost screamed.

"Hermione!!" he said shaking her gently.

"Oh my God!" she screamed realizing her position. She jumped away in a split second after waking.

"It's okay…" he laughed.

"What time is it?!"

"Well…" he showed her his watch.

"WE HAVE TO BE AT HOGWARTS IN TWENTY MINUTES!" she shouted.

"Chill out, woman. I will aparate home and get ready and you can change here and I will meet you there in Dumbeldore's office, okay? Don't freak out. You have plenty of time," he said rubbing her arm.

"I guess you're right. I've got to hurry. Dumbledore usually likes us to be there a few minutes early anyway. Go home, quickly!" she said and he went to her fireplace.

'_Merlin…twenty minutes! And that position we were in…I guess I'll have time to freak out about that later…'_

Not really having time to put together a new outfit, she threw on her work clothes from the day before. She did her makeup with her wand and grabbed a water bottle. She then went to her fireplace to get to Dumbledore's office. She was ten minutes early.

"Ah, Ms. Granger! Nice of you to join me here a tad early," smiled the old headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

---

**A/N: Okay. Now I know in the books that Dumbledore is dead. I'm not an idiot. But I just love him, so he is going to be in the story. Hope you don't mind ********. So I hope you liked the chapter. I thought it was cuteish. Oh, and the whole rules during movie night thing—I borrowed that from Gilmore Girls. I thought it was cute. It was from the episode where Lorelai has Luke over for movie night and she gives him the rules which he breaks accidentally. I made them watch Star Wars because I watched it just the other day. I am such a nerd. Haha. Good times. So I hope you are all enjoying it. We are going to have an old character come back in the next chapter or chapter after that. So…it'll be a surprise. Bye, all! I am going to watch…Gilmore Girls!!**


	8. Appirition Lessons

**A/N: Hello faithful readers! If I have any faithful readers, that is. This chapter contains the apparition lessons, so I had to go to book six for information on how their instructor did it. So I hope you like it and find it realistic. **

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_Til I thought I'm through_

_  
Said I'm done_

_  
Then stumbled into the arms of the one_

---

"Professor Dumbledore!! It's so great to see you," said Hermione giving him a hug.

"Likewise, Ms. Granger. Now where is Mr. Malfoy?" he inquired.

"Oh, he should be here in a few minutes, Professor."

"So how have you been? How are Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley?"

"We are all doing just great. Ron is getting married, actually," said Hermione.

"Ah, yes, to Ms. Lavender Brown, am I correct?"

"Yes," said Hermione.

Draco came through the fireplace a few minutes later. "Mr. Malfoy! Nice of you to join us. You two better get to the Great Hall. The students should be getting ready. All of the things are set up in the hall seeing as I just lifted up the enchantments."

"Thank you, Headmaster," said Hermione politely before she and Draco made their way to the Great Hall. "Merlin, I am so tired," she yawned.

"Yeah, we probably shouldn't have run a third movie," he said.

"Oh, yeah, about that…I'm sorry about the way we…you know woke up this morning. Roger and I used to do that all the time, and…"

"Granger, it's fine. It's nothing. So just forget about it," he said.

"Okay," she said.

They made their way to the Great Hall where students were all eagerly awaiting them. The Great Hall looked the same as it always had, except for the fact that all the house tables had been cleared for the apparition lessons. The chatter was loud until Draco cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. All the students instantly quieted down and faced Draco and Hermione. Hermione looked excited, Draco bored.

"Good morning, students, I am Hermione Granger and this is Draco Malfoy we will be your apparition instructors for the next twelve weeks," said Hermione looking at Draco for a grunt of acknowledgement. "If any of you have read _Hogwarts a History_, you obviously know that it is impossible to apparate or disapparate within Hogwarts. So Professor Dumbledore has lifted the enchantments for the next hour so we can teach you. Let me also say that you shouldn't try apparating outside of these walls. It will be nearly impossible because you haven't had much instruction yet."

She flicked her wand and the wooden hoops appeared all over the great hall. She then gave Draco a chance to do some speaking.

"Alright. All of you need to move so that you have a hoop five feet in front of you," he said and the students scrambled to make it so. "Now we will use the technique that has been taught for years. The three D's. Destination, Determination, Deliberation. Once you grasp that concept you will do fairly well," he said mundanely. "The first step is destination. You need to focus on your destination, aka the interior of the wooden hoop in front of you. The next most important step is determination. If you are not determined to enter your hoop you will obviously fail. The final step is deliberation. Now on my command you need to turn on the spot, feeling your way using deliberation. One…two…three…" he said.

They all tried using the three D's, but to no avail. Many of them were staggering and a few had fallen on their backs. "It definitely won't work out on your first try, but don't give up," said Hermione encouragingly. "We have a whole hour to practice. Now get up, all of you, we are going to try this again. One…two…three." They all staggered again and didn't do any better than before. Hermione encouraged them again lightly and continued to count it down. Still no success.

"Come on, now don't forget. Destination, Determination, Deliberation," explained Hermione again. "Let the feeling of determination fill you up before you use deliberation."

"Wow, this group particularly sucks," Draco whispered to Hermione.

"Oh, shut up, you weren't any better when you were their age. Besides, we haven't had any splinching yet, so that's something to be thankful for," Hermione said back to him. But she had spoke to soon. The second she spoke their was a blood curdling scream. One of the Gryffindor girls had splinched her arm right off. "Oh, Merlin…" sighed Hermione. Draco laughed at Hermione till she slapped him playfully. "You continue to teach them while I run her to Madame Pomfrey, got it?"

"Yes, mum," he said and Hermione quickly brought the girl—and her arm—to the hospital wing where Madame Pomfrey greeted her warmly. "Ms. Granger! I haven't seen you up here in awhile. I remember how you and Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley would be in here practically every other week," she smiled as she tended to the girl.

"Yes, I miss this place so dearly. Best years of my life, I would say. Well I've got to get back to the class, so I will check on her later," said Hermione gesturing to the sobbing girl in the hospital bed.

"She will be done in a jiff. I will send her down when she's done. Good to see you, Ms. Granger," said Madame Pomfrey.

"Thanks, it was great to see you again, too," said Hermione walking back. "Have we gotten anymore progress?" Hermione asked Draco when she got back.

"Nope, non at all," he smirked. "These kids really suck. I mean _really_ suck."

"Well maybe we should try apparating to show them how it's done. Sometimes they need visual instruction as well as verbal instruction. Remember that group we had year before last?" she asked him.

"I guess you're right. I will do it," he sighed. It took him a little time to get the group's attention again, but he was able to. "Now, I am going to give you a demonstration on how this is done. It is really quite easy. It took hardly any time for me to learn when I was your age and now I am an expert at it. I should be because I use it everyday and I have been teaching it for years. So it's really simple," he explained as he boasted. "Destination, determination, deliberation. One…two…"

He wasn't exactly focused (aka determined) as he tried to apparate and his destination was all wrong because he made it outside the hoop in front of him and he landed on his back. The hall was filled with abrupt laughter as he fell. Hermione couldn't hold in her laughter either. She finally stopped herself and put her hand down to help him up. He didn't except it and got up on his own.

"I meant to do that. Show you what happens when you aren't determined and if you aren't thinking about your destination," he said trying to cover up. Hermione snickered which made him defend himself more to her. "Come on, I was just showing them…look I can apparate perfectly," he said. Then he apparated perfectly into the hoop. "SEE?! I can do it perfectly. I am amazing. I only did that before to show you what happens when you don't focus…"

Hermione laughed and snickered again. "You are hilarious, Draco," she said sarcastically.

"What?" he whispered to her.

"Keep practicing, guys. What what?" she whispered back confused.

"You called me Draco," he said looking at her like she had uttered some awful profanity.

"Oh, I guess I did. Sorry, Malfoy," she said.

"No, it's fine, just…weird. You have never called me that."

"It is your name, isn't it?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well duh. But you have never addressed me by my first name, _Hermione_. Wow that felt weird to say," he said.

"Well we are friends, right? Shouldn't friends address each other by their first names?"

"Yes, I guess we are friends. Okay. I guess I will call you by your first name from now on…" he said still feeling weird.

"Okay, whatever," she said.

For the next fifteen minutes they didn't have much more progress from the students, but that was normal. Hermione flicked her wand which took the hoops away and she and Draco headed back up to Dumbledore's office to use the floo to get back to work. By the end of the day they had already set plans to have another movie night on Saturday.

---

A few weeks later on a bright sunny Saturday morning Hermione woke up to her shrill alarm clock on her bedside table. It was now February past Valentine's day. She seemed to be in a better mood lately then she had been in for the past few weeks. First of all, she was already five weeks into the class at Hogwarts, which was going really well. She and Draco had also started to become closer. They would see each other at least three nights a week outside of work for friendly dinners, movies, or just hanging out together and talking over coffee. As much as she hated to admit it, she really enjoyed his company. He was so different from her that the time they spent together was always explosive with arguments, but they were more and more becoming friendly arguments. But sadly, she hadn't had much time to spend with Harry and Ron. So the old trio had planned to get together for lunch that day.

She clicked off her alarm clock and she got out of her bed, put on a robe, and went to the kitchen for some breakfast. She whipped herself up some eggs, bacon, and coffee which she ate while reading the wizarding papers followed by the muggle papers.

There was nothing really new in the papers that caught her interest, so she got up to take her shower and get dressed. When going through her closet she picked out a pair of jeans and dark pink and white striped sweater. As pretty as winter was, she was getting sick of the cold.

She mostly just cleaned up around her room as the clock neared closer and closer to one o' clock when she was going to meet up with Harry and Ron at the Three Broomsticks and then they were going to visit other old Hogsmeade hangouts from school. She hadn't been there since the night she ran into Roger. But lately, she rarely thought of Roger Davies, which made her feel good about herself and her life.

When it finally became one, she apparated to Hogsmeade to wait for Harry and Ron outside the Three Broomsticks. A few minutes later Harry showed up.

"'Mione! It's been way too long," he said giving her a hug that almost knocked her over.

"I know! I've missed you so much," she said and then Ron appeared. "Ron!!" she yelled giving him a hug.

"Hey!!" he replied returning the hug.

"So should we go in or just keep hugging?" asked Harry trying to break the two of them apart.

"Oh, right, let's go. I'm starving," she said leading the way in. After settling in and ordering the food they started in on conversation.

"What has been keeping you so busy, Hermione?" asked Ron as he took a sip of butterbeer.

"Oh, just work and stuff…" she said, not really wanting to share about her friendship with Draco.

"Have you been seeing anyone?" asked Harry.

The question somewhat took her by surprise, and she ended up spitting her butterbeer back into the glass by accident. She wasn't seeing Draco so she shouldn't really feel guilty about keeping it from them, but she still felt extremely awkward. "What?! No, of course not. I'm not seeing anyone…" she said quickly.

"Wow that sounds suspicious, doesn't it, Harry?" said Ron.

"I'm serious! I am not seeing anyone. I haven't since Roger…" she said quietly.

"Are you sure?" teased Harry.

"Yes, I'm sure!!" she said with much defense in her tone.

"Hmm…who could the lucky man be?" Ron asked Harry.

"I don't know…but we will find out if there is someone. You can't hide, sweetie," said Harry.

"You two are absolutely ridiculous! I would have told you if I was seeing someone," she said honestly.

"Maybe you are just embarrassed by the person you are seeing. Is it Nigel? What about Neville? Malfoy? If I was a girl I would be very embarrassed about dating any one of them," laughed Harry.

"Hey, they are all very nice guys," said Hermione.

"Malfoy? A nice guy? Don't make me laugh, Hermione," said Ron. Feeling uncomfortable and thinking she might slip up and say something about her and Malfoy's friendship, she tried to change the subject as smoothly as possible.

"So, Ron, how are the wedding plans going?" she asked slyly, knowing that he would start to rant.

"Oh, Merlin, don't even get me started. My mum and Lavender's mum absolutely can't stand each other and have been fighting non-stop about wedding plans. I swear, I am going to kill myself. And Lavender keeps asking my opinions about flowers, locations, the date, her dress—all stuff I frankly don't care about. All I am really planning right now is the bachelor party," said Ron, and Harry grunted in acknowledgement.

"Ron, you should care about your wedding plans—or at least a little bit. Roger had helped me plan the wedding before we broke up," she explained. "Even if you don't care, at least let Lavender _think_ that you care," laughed Hermione. "Because I am pretty sure Roger didn't care at all, even though he acted like he did."

"Yeah, I guess that's good advice," he said.

"Cho planned most of our wedding. Actually, her and her mother did. They didn't really ask my opinions for anything. They said that I wouldn't have any good ideas anyway. They were probably right," he chuckled.

"Have you guys set a date yet?" asked Hermione excitedly.

"No, but we were thinking of maybe an end of summer wedding," he said.

"Am I in the wedding?" asked Hermione giving him a if-I'm-not-in-the-wedding-I-will-never-forgive-you look.

"Of course you are! Harry is the best man and Lavender agreed to let you be a bridesmaid," said Ron.

"I accept!!" she smiled.

The trio finished their lunch and then walked around Hogsmeade for a few hours visiting old places like Madame Rosmerta's and Honeydukes where Ron loaded up on oodles of Chocolate Frogs just like old times. Hogsmeade really hadn't changed much since they were at Hogwarts, which was what was so great about it. Hermione felt so nostalgic to be walking down those same roads with Harry and Ron just like they used to. She had missed school so much.

After all the shopping she said goodbye to Harry and Ron and apparated home. She greeted Snuffley and then found that she had a message on her machine. She clicked the button and listened while she hung up her coat. _Hey, 'Mione, it's Draco. Obviously. You should be able to recognize my voice seeing as you see me every day. Anyway, I am bored so I was wondering if you wanted to get coffee or something at that muggle place you have talked about so much. So yeah…that's it. Call me. Unless you don't want to. Whatever. Bye. _

She smiled, picked up the phone, and entered his digits.

"Hello?"

"It's me," she said.

"Oh, hey, you want to hang out?" he asked.

"Sure. So you want to go to the _muggle _Starbucks Coffee?" she asked slightly amused.

"You say the coffee is legendary, so sure," he said.

"Alright. I guess I'll apparate over in a half hour and we can go. Is that okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," yawned Draco.

"Alrighty. Bye," she said clicking the phone off and tossing it onto the chair.

She was bored for the next half hour so she straightened her hair using magic. She didn't do it that often, but she felt like she wanted a little change for a day or two. Get a away from curls for a bit. Before leaving to meet Draco, she got a purse and stuffed a book in it. She was just one of those girls who brought a book with her everywhere she went even if she knew she wouldn't be reading. It was just her thing.

"Hey," said Draco as she came through his fireplace a few minutes later.

"Hey. How are you?" she asked giving him a hug.

"I'm bored. That's why you are here," he mused.

"So are we leaving now?"

"Just let me grab my coat from my room," he said leaving.

Hermione sat down on the chair in the room until someone else had come through the fireplace. Someone who Hermione had never seen before, but she had a hunch as to who it was.

"Who the hell are you?" the blonde girl snapped.

"Let me guess… you are Rachel?" said Hermione said standing up.

"Yes. What are you doing here in _my_ Drakey's house?" she asked folding her arms. Draco then came in after hearing the commotion.

"Rachel, what are you doing in my house?! We haven't even talked in weeks. I thought I told you to leave me the bloody hell alone," he said in a stressed tone.

"Who is she? Who is that little slut?" Rachel asked pointing at Hermione.

"Oh…my girlfriend. And she is not a slut, thank you," said Draco trying to get her out.

"WHAT?!" Rachel screamed. "You are dating_ her_? Come on, Drakey! Look at me compared to her. There is no comparison. Is she even a pureblood? Has your mother met this girl? Narcissa loves me. We go shopping all the time. Does your mother like this girl?" asked Rachel trying to think of any excuse.

"Yes, she is my girlfriend and I think she is gorgeous. Way more gorgeous then you are. And no, I haven't introduced her to my mother yet. It is still new," he said and he stood behind Hermione and put his hands around her waist. She played along by putting her hands on top of his.

Rachel looked thoroughly disgusted. "How long have you been seeing _her_?"

"A few weeks," he said smiling and he kissed her lips.

"A few weeks?! What about that night you and I were together? Does she know about that? Were you two together when that happened? Hmmmm? I don't see how she would want to be with you after that. Hmmmm?" she asked walking over trying to break between them.

"Yes, I know all about it and I trust Draco completely now," said Hermione as sincerely as she could without cracking up with laughter.

Rachel looked like she was going to cry as she stared at the couple who were now holding hands and swaying back and forth cutely. As if to admit defeat, she sniffled and then walked over to the fireplace to leave. The second she was gone they both started cracking up.

"I owe you big time, Hermione," said Draco laughing. "You actually did a good job convincing her were going out."

"You can pay for the coffee then," she smirked.

"And I'm okay with that," he smiled and they went out to his car for the drive to Starbucks.

---

**A/N: Another chapter done. Sorry if my writing isn't that great. I am not very good at being descriptive. Well I hope you liked it anyway. I will catch you all later!!**


	9. Old Friend Returning?

**A/N: The last chapter seemed to take me forever to write. I hope this one has a quicker process. I just wanted to say thank you guys so so much for the reviews!! I wasn't even sure if I was going to put this story online at first because I didn't think it was that good. But I am happy that you guys like it!! You are all so sweet :). This is one of my favorite chapters. I think it's cute. Let me kno what you think!! Feedback is always great and it encourages me to keep writing. **

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_You're making me laugh about the silliest stuff_

_Say that I'm your diamond in the ruff_

---

The chilly month of February slowly turned into March, which was still cold to Hermione's despair. Everything had been normal lately and she only had five more Appirition classes left with Draco and she had to admit that the class was getting pretty good. The class all still hadn't forgotten Draco's horrible attempt at apparating that had caused him to fall to the ground. Hermione's hadn't forgotten about it either. They all teased him mercilessly about it from time to time.

She had also had a little more time lately to spend with Harry and Ron. She had also contributed some of her time to Lavender to help her plan the wedding and more importantly the bachelorette party. Lavender and Ron had both agreed for the wedding date to be June 3rd. And that was practically the only thing that she and Ron had agreed about. Every time Hermione was over there to visit the young couple were always arguing over some kind of wedding detail. Hermione had become so used to it she could just tune it out.

One thing Hermione couldn't get Lavender to change was the choice of bridesmaid dresses. Lavender had picked cream and baby blue as her wedding colors so the dresses were puffy and baby blue with tulle sticking out in every which direction. Hermione felt like a frilly cupcake when she tried it on at the store. But Lavender thought it was adorable so she had chosen them to Hermione's despair. Ron had laughed his head off when he saw Hermione in that dress.

Hermione and Draco had still been spending a good amount of time together and things were staying the same. She had become very used to his company—she saw him outside of work as much as she saw Harry and Ron—maybe more. Draco had thanked her many times saying that Rachel hadn't bothered him since she had been over that one time. And even more luckily, Rachel hadn't told Narcissa about it either. If she had told her, Draco would have been hounded with questions from his mother.

Hermione was very much looking forward to spring. Spring was her favorite season. And it had been a long, long winter. She tried her hardest not to think about Roger, but he seemed to be on the back burner of her brain at times and she couldn't really escape it. She knew that she wouldn't have fully moved on from everything until she would find someone else to be with who would love her even more. She was desperately waiting for that day.

---

It was a Friday night and Draco had come over to Hermione's place right after work to watch TV. It was Friday, and they spent their Friday nights watching Monk, which was one of Hermione's all time favorite shows. It didn't take her long to convert Draco to a big Monk fan. They always had to come to Hermione's place for TV and movie nights because Draco was stubborn and didn't want to buy a TV himself. He was just too proud to buy a muggle gadget, as he called it.

The show had started and Hermione and Draco immediately became quiet and still—following the tradition movie night rules, which Draco had eventually learned to follow. After about five minutes the phone rang. Hermione ignored it—because it was a rule—but she listened to the machine nonetheless. The voice of Ginny Weasley came through. _Hey, Hermione, it's Ginny. I am assuming you are home and just not picking up the phone. Is it a movie night? Because I know you don't answer the phone when you watch TV. Anyway, I was going to call to see if I could come over…but you aren't picking up the phone. I guess I will apparate over in a few minutes anyway. So, see ya soon if you are there._

"Oh, MERLIN!!" said Hermione when the message ended. Draco pointed and stared without saying anything because she had a broken a rule. "Oh, stop that, you idiot. Get up, right now," she said pulling his hands. She wasn't strong enough, however, to pull him up.

"Why are you spasing out so much, woman? Isn't it just the young Weaslette?" he asked standing up.

"Did you not listen to that message, you oaf?! Ginny will be here any minute. We have got to hide you, like now. Who knows what will happen if she sees you here. She could tell Harry and Ron and then they will come kill you," she said sounding panicky.

"Chill out. Breathe. And anyway, I could so take them. I mean, look at these muscles…" he said cockily.

"Oh, shut up," she grabbed his hand and pulled him into her room. Upon reaching there, she stuffed him in the closet. "Are you kidding me?! I mean, I know you are a little weird, but isn't this a just a little bit…what's the word…MENTAL?"

"Just shut up and don't make a sound until I come in here and tell you she is gone," said Hermione. She heard a pop in the living room and she quickly closed the closet door.

"Women," Draco sighed. He leaned up against the door so he could hear everything they were saying in the other room.

"Ginny! Hey, girl, what's up?" said Hermione trying to be as nonchalant as possible. But of course, Ginny could always see right through her.

"What is up with you?" laughed Ginny.

"Wha? I don't know what you are talking about. Nothing is up with me. Just watching TV."

"You look like you are totally freaked. Well I just came here to borrow that green dress that I forced you to buy that one time at the mall, remember? I have a date with Dean tomorrow and it is important that I look amazing. So I will just go grab it and be out of here. Closet in your bedroom, I'm assuming? I wouldn't be surprised if it still had the tags on it."

"Let me get it!! And no, it doesn't have the tags on it," said Hermione a little to enthusiastically.

"I can see that you are watching Monk. So go sit down and I will get it. It's no problem," offered Ginny.

"No, no, I insist."

"Your insisting is kind of creeping me out. What are you hiding?" asked Ginny knowing her friend all to well.

"Nothing, I will grab the dress and you can be on your way…"

"You stay here, I will grab it," said Ginny stubbornly.

"Fine," said Hermione slapping her forehead as Ginny walked away. '_Well, maybe Draco heard us and went to hide in the bathroom instead, or something…oh Merlin, PLEASE…' _thought Hermione trying to be hopeful.

Ginny walked into Hermione's bedroom and opened the closet door. There was Draco Malfoy, who was holding the green dress. "Here you go," he said as nonchalantly as a man hiding in a closet could as he handed her the dress. Normally Ginny would've screamed to find a man in her best friend's closet, but she just knew that Hermione was hiding something so it didn't really come as much of a shock. Without saying a word to him she closed the closet door with him still in it and walked back to the living room.

"Are you aware that Draco Malfoy is standing in your closet?" said Ginny impassively.

"Yes," said Hermione covering her face in her hands in complete embarrassment.

"Oh…my…you and him are…why didn't you tell me?!" shrieked Ginny excitedly.

"Tell you what?" said Hermione bemused.

"Have you and Draco been seeing each other? Are you_ sleeping _with Draco Malfoy?" asked Ginny not at all upset.

"No, no, no!! We are just friends. I swear," she said. "Aren't you mad that I have been spending time with our ex-enemy?"

"Things are different now. And look at him—you really should get a jump on that," Ginny winked. "He is so hott. I could totally see you two together."

"Oh, shut up! I can't even picture us together," said Hermione sitting down. "It would be so weird."

"Have you two kissed like at all?" said Ginny also sitting down.

"Yeah…" said Hermione blushing ten shades of scarlet.

"Oh my God!!" she shrieked. "How many times?"

"Twice. The first time he was drunk and we were under mistletoe and the second was after a dinner and he gave me a kiss goodnight," said Hermione. "Ooh and ahh all you want but trust me it doesn't get dirty," she said after seeing her friend's facial expression.

"So is he an amazing kisser? I bet he is. Details, Hermione, details!!"

"Yeah, I guess he is a good kisser. But he was drunk the first time so that wasn't really all that pleasant. Can we please not talk about this right now?" she sighed.

"No time like the present!! So what kind of kiss was the second one? A peck on the cheek, a quick kiss on the lips that was non moving, or was it a full blown make-out session? Asked Ginny lowering her voice a little.

"Make-out session. But it didn't last for long. It was months ago anyway," whispered Hermione desperately hoping that he couldn't hear their conversation.

"Wow. You making out with Draco Malfoy. I can't really see it. Wow. Weird. But totally cute!!"

"Oh, shut up! It didn't mean anything to either of us."

"So I am assuming that Harry and Ron don't know anything about this."

"No, they don't. Please don't tell them, Ginny! I mean—there isn't anything to tell—but I just don't want them to know that Draco and I are friends just right now. I probably will never tell them, actually. Nothing really serious will come out of this friendship," she said.

"Fine, I won't tell them. But seriously, Hermione, you should really try to go for him. I mean, have you looked at him?!" she squealed.

"He can probably hear everything you are saying. So please leave, I will call you tomorrow," she said ushering her off the couch.

"Just admit that you think he is gorgeous then I will leave. I just want to hear you say it," smiled Ginny.

"Fine, he's gorgeous. Now please leave," said Hermione.

After Ginny apparated away, Draco came back into the room looking very very smug about something. Probably the conversation he had overheard. "Oh no, what does that look on your face mean?" she asked him.

"Oh, nothing. Do you _really _think I am gorgeous, Hermione? Am I _really_ a great kisser?" he laughed mocking Ginny's tone.

"Oh, that. I just said that to get her out of here," said Hermione not meeting his eyes.

"But part of you meant it, right?" he smirked. "Tell the truth." 

"Fine. Part of me meant it. But only a little part," she explained. He sat back on the couch with a huge grin on his face. Almost prideful. "Oh, geez, we are not eleven! So what if I said you look good," said Hermione crossing her arms. He didn't say anything; he just kept that grin on his face that drove her crazy with annoyance. "Stop it! You are so immature," she said throwing a pillow at him.

"Oh and that was mature?" he asked.

"Okay, so that wasn't really mature," she admitted. He responded by thwacking her in the back of the head with one of the throw pillows. "Ow, you bastard! That hurt! You will pay for that," she said standing up with her pillow. He followed suit and blocked her first blow. They continued to attack each other with pillows until he threw his down and wrestled her to the ground instead, which proved to be quite affective. He pulled her down by putting his hands around her waist. "Let me go!!" she laughed as he brought her to the ground.

"Never," he teased.

"Come on!" she said trying to pry his arms off her waist to no avail. She could smell his cologne from the closeness.

"Merlin, you are weak," he said.

"Shut up," she said. "How have you gotten so strong, anyway?" she asked trying to distract him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you work five days a week and then for practically the rest of the time you are with me or your mother. When do you ever have time to work out?" she asked him.

"Well I get up in the mornings and I—" She took him by surprise by biting his shoulder.

"Ow!!" he said letting her go.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. HA!! In your face, you little ferret!!" she screamed as she stood up. This was a stupid idea, obviously, because he was still on the ground and he took that advantage by pulling her feet which caused her to fall on top of him.

"Haha, SUCKER!!" he screamed as he got his hold on her again.

"You suck," she said in anguish.

"So do you surrender?" he asked.

"Never," she said stubbornly.

"I could hold you here to the ground for forever," he teased. "You are extremely weak."

"Well we have work on Monday, so you would have to let go of me then," she pointed out sensibly.

"Good point. Alright, I will let you off the hook this time," he said and he let go of her and stood up. She, however, stayed on the ground and grabbed his feet as he did to her which made him fall to the ground again.

"I hate you," he snickered.

"Revenge is sweet," she said.

---

On Saturday Hermione kept her promise and called Ginny for the much anticipated "details". Hermione really didn't have much to say. She and Draco were friends. Nothing more. Just like she and Harry and Ron were friends. Ginny didn't seem satisfied with that explanation, but there really wasn't anything else to say. Ginny kept on saying how Hermione and Draco would be perfect for each other.

Hermione kept on insisting that they were way to different, and it was true. They came from two completely different worlds. Not to mention that he had been her biggest enemy in school. A small part of her had trouble letting that out of her head. It was _Draco Malfoy_ who she had been spending so much time with. It was just plain weird!

Ginny told her to ignore all of that and that he was different now. Part of Hermione knew that Ginny was right. Draco had changed. And she had so much fun when she spent time with him. And she assumed he liked being with her because of the amounts of time that he spent with her outside of work. Then Hermione pointed out that Draco was not interested in her romantically and hadn't made any moves to say that he might be. Ginny said that was only a minor set back. To be honest, Hermione didn't even know what she would do or say if he did anything to suggest that he was interested in her, which she didn't think he was. At all. And if she felt anything for him more than friendship it was probably just a little crush because there is absolutely no denying that Draco Malfoy was a complete and total heartthrob.

She also couldn't stop thinking about Roger. Part of her still loved the bastard even though she hated him and wanted to make him pay dearly for all the suffering he had put her through. Part of her couldn't forget all the amazing times she had had with him. But she also couldn't forget the fact that when she was with Draco she hardly thought of Roger at all. She just had to keep telling herself over and over_ 'I am not falling for Draco Malfoy. Not now, not ever. It's not who I am. Harry and Ron would see that as betrayal.' _Then she started to think that maybe she should make up her damn mind and keep Ron and Harry out of it. It was her relationship, not theirs.

But something would happen soon that would make her forget about her thoughts Draco for a little while.

---

On Monday morning she came into her office through the fireplace and found a vase full of daisies on her desk. "These couldn't possibly have come from you?" scoffed Hermione picking up the vase. "But then again, who else would send me flowers?"

"Yes, they are from me," he sighed.

"That's so sweet," she said in a baby voice. "Any specific reason they are here?"

"I don't know…I just saw them and thought you might like them. I am such a loser. I didn't mean anything by it," he said.

"No, they are really nice! And kind of creepy…daisies are my favorite flower. How did you know that?"

"Because you have told me in the past. You know, sometimes I actually listen to the things you say. Sometimes," he said. "Look, I didn't buy them for you for any reason whatsoever so don't make a big deal out of it. I just thought I would be nice."

"Yes, it's very nice. Thank you," she said giving him a quick hug before returning to her desk.

"Want to go out for lunch today?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure," she replied.

Hermione started her work and got a few hours done until she was startled by Padma.

"Hermione! Oh my gosh—you won't believe it!" said Padma who had just burst through the room.

"What?" she sighed. "I have a lot of work here."

"Trust me, it's worth it. Someone is here to see you. You are going to totally flip out."

"Send whoever it is in then," said Hermione not thinking anything about it as Padma left. Padma was the kind of girl who got excited looking at a sunset or when a package came in the mail, so Hermione didn't think anything special would be happening. But Hermione was shocked when she saw who came in.

"Hermi-own-niny?"

---

**A/N: Yes, so you probably all know who that is! Uh oh!!! I am not sure how much longer the story is going to be. Probably only a few more chapters. I already know what I am doing with the ending because I kept the old ending from the original story. Or at least most of it. It has really changed a lot from the old one. But in the next few chapters it will probably feature some of the writing from the old one. That saves me time :). Bye now!!**


	10. Jealousy?

**A/N: So we got some drama coming our way!! Woooooo. I would like to say special thanks to people who review. You know, a story really isn't worth writing if you don't get feedback. So special thanks to these loverly people: Gothic-Romantic99, dracoistheshiet, tigersky7, heytheredalaila, and darbythomas. Thanks so much for your encouraging words, guys!! It is really helpful. So here is the new chapter...I am not sure if I am happy with this one, but we will see you what you guys think.**

---

_When I'm mad at you_

_You come with your velvet touch_

---

"V-Viktor? Viktor Krum?!" Hermione was in complete shock as she saw him enter the room. "What are you doing here?! And what happened?" Viktor had a cast on his right leg and a crutch to help him walk.

"I got injured in Quidditch. I decided it might be fun to drop in and see you. I miss you, Hermi-own-niny!" he said sweetly. "Merlin, look at you…you are even prettier than I remembered," he said grabbing her hand to kiss it. She giggled. Draco nearly vomited.

"I've missed you, too! It's been so long…and we've stopped writing to each other. I just can't believe you are here!" Any crush she might have previously felt for Draco slowly washed away as she talked to her first love.

"I was wondering if maybe you wanted to have lunch, Hermi-own-niny," he said.

"Oh, well, Draco and I had plans, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind, would you, Draco?" she turned and gave him a look that screamed I-will-get-revenge-on-you-if-you-don't-let-me-go.

"Sure, we can have lunch another time, _Hermione_," Draco said as he turned around to go back to his desk. The only emotions that Draco was feeling at the moment was the need to physically harm Viktor Krum. He didn't really know why, either.

"So, you like Hogsmeade, right?" asked Viktor taking Hermione's hand and leading her out of the office.

"Yes, anywhere is fine!" she said happily as she looked at him. Her thoughts were spinning around wildly in her head. She couldn't believe that he had come back.

"I thought we could go to Three Broomsticks to talk."

"Sounds great!" They apparated to Three Broomsticks and sat down to talk. They had so much to catch up on since they had seen each other in her fourth year at Hogwarts.

"So, I see you've still been playing Quidditch," said Hermione.

"Yes, of course. Quidditch is practically my life," he said, smiling.

"So how long has your leg been in the cast?" she asked.

"About two weeks. It only needs to be in for six. It wasn't that big of an incident."

"Did it hurt terribly, Viktor?"

"No, not really," he said as he put his hand on top of hers sweetly.

"So, I haven't really been keeping up with Quidditch lately. How is Bulgaria doing this year?" she said taking a sip of her butter beer.

"Pretty well, actually. But I don't think we will make it to the World Cup this year. So enough about me, I want to hear about you. What have you been doing over the last few years? I haven't heard from you in ages."

"Well…I work for the Ministry now as you know. I was engaged a few months ago but he broke it off for reasons I really don't want to talk about. Other than that, nothing else has been going on for me."

"That is just horrible. I bet you were too good for that guy anyway. Are Harry and Ronald well?"

"Yes, they are fantastic," she said. What would Harry and Ron say when they found out Viktor was back?

"So, what's going on with you and that blonde who was in your office? He looks familiar," he asked looking suspicious.

"Draco? He's a friend of mine. Nothing more," she said shrugging.

"I think he has a thing for you. He wasn't exactly giving me a friendly look when I came in."

"What? That's crazy. Draco and I together? I can't even see that in my mind, Viktor," she said, desperately wanting to change the subject.

"He looked like he wanted to attack me or something…"

"…it means nothing. Really…we are just friends. That's it."

"I will say it again. You look as beautiful as ever, Hermi-own-niny," he said and her cheeks flushed pink.

The rest of the outing went particularly well and ended with him asking her to go out again. Then she apparated back to the Ministry.

"So how did things go with old Krumcake?" sneered Draco as she returned.

"Wonderfully. We are going out again tomorrow."

"That's just wonderful," he said sarcastically.

"He kept asking me about you. He thinks something is going on with us," she chuckled.

"Well, they always did say his head was filled with sawdust," snickered Draco.

"Shut up!" she said punching his arm.

Hermione continued working. She found out that Harry had requested being able to block out certain people from apparating into his home. These charms could easily be done without the Ministry, but technically it was illegal to not consult the Ministry first because they kept record on these things. Hermione was appointed the job to go to Harry's home to authorize the charms.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Draco. I have to go to Harry's home to authorize these spells," she said, giving Draco a hug good-bye.

"See you later, then," he said.

"We are still hanging out tomorrow night, right?" she asked. He nodded and then with a crack, she disapparated.

She apparated to the front of Harry's home and rang the doorbell. Cho came to the door.

"Oh, Hermione! It's great to see you! Come right in," said Cho, looking particularly happy about something.

"Thanks, Cho. Well, here are those papers authorizing those spells. Why did you guys want protection on who apparates into your home, anyway?" she asked as she handed over the papers. Then Harry walked in.

"Rita Skeeter and other writers have been trying to get in so often and more will be trying to come when they find out what's going on here," he said, smiling at Cho.

"What's going on?"

"I'm pregnant!" Cho blurted out joyfully as she gave Harry a hug.

"Oh my goodness! Congratulations, you two! I couldn't be happier for you," said Hermione as she gave both of them a hug. "Does Ron know yet?"

"Yes, we told him this morning. Sorry we didn't tell you sooner," said Cho.

"Oh, it's fine. Harry, could I speak to you in private for a moment?" Hermione asked. She wanted to tell him about about Viktor. She didn't really know why she wanted to talk to him privately about it. She was just weird like that.

"Sure, Hermione. Lets go," he said and he led her to the living room. "What's up?"

"Viktor is back!" Hermione screeched.

"What!? Viktor Krum? What is he doing here?" asked Harry looking surprised.

"Yes! He got injured in Quidditch and is taking a break and he decided to come here and see me!"

"So that's why you are so happy? How long is he staying, Hermione?" asked Harry. He hadn't seen her this happy in ages—technically since Roger was around.

"I don't know, but hopefully for a long time. We had lunch today and everything was great," she said.

"Hermione, please be careful…" said Harry, looking less cheerful then when she first told him. '_If she gets hurt again…'_

"What is this? The safe sex talk?" she said with a chuckle.

"Hermione, I'm serious. I don't want you to get hurt. Just watch out for yourself. Please."

"I seriously don't know what you are talking about. What do you think is going to happen, Harry?"

"Hermione, I just don't want you to get all emotionally attached. You don't even know how long Viktor will be here for," he said. '_Oh no, she's giving me the look…'_

"Harry, I think I can take care of myself! We aren't in school anymore…I'm a big girl now, Harry. You don't have to be my big strong hero," she said, starting to flare up.

"Hermione, I'm just looking out for you. Don't make this something that its not. I'm just looking out for you like an older brother would. Besides, I practically am your big strong hero or whatever you call it."

"_Excuse me?_" she snapped.

"Ron and I were always at your house because you are so irresponsible and helpless when you get drunk!" he snapped back. "And frankly, we got sick of it!"

"Harry, I have to go. Tell Cho congratulations for me again," as she headed toward the door almost tearing up.

"Hermione!! I'm sorry…I should have said that differently. But I just don't want you to get hurt again! Why don't you understand where I'm coming from? I mean, you just recently got over this whole Roger Davies thing and I don't want you to get hurt again," he said chasing after her.

"Goodbye, Harry. And F.Y.I., I haven't gotten drunk like that in **months**! And the few times that I did I got help and it wasn't from you or Ron!!"

---

Another week had passed and Hermione had been even more happy. It was the kind of happy that you get from a great relationship. She and Viktor went out together almost everyday and Draco's confusion was growing about his feelings about Hermione and Viktor being together. Hermione also hadn't talked to Harry since she had been at his house.

"Morning, Hermione," said Draco in monotone as she apparated into the office.

"Hey."

"I haven't talked to you much. How you been?" he asked trying to be normal.

"Well everything with Viktor is great but Harry and I…" she sniffled. "We haven't been getting along. We had a fight."

"Oh, I'm sorry…" he said as he put his arms around her in a brotherly way.

"Harry is just being so annoying! I finally find someone to spend my time with and he freaks out on me. He says I get emotionally attached," she said trying not to cry. "He just…" she was interrupted by a kiss.

'_What the bloody hell? Why is he kissing me? Merlin, he's good at what he does…' _she thought as it turned into a heavy snogging session. '_Why am I not fighting this? I like Viktor, right?'_

She couldn't get over that fact that she was kissing Draco. But this was way more passionate than anything she had ever felt. Viktor had never kissed her like this…Roger had never kissed her like this. He truly was an amazing kisser.

Before she could have any more thoughts, Ron apparated into the room and found them snogging under a desk. With a delayed reaction, she slapped Malfoy's face. He looked angry at that.

"HERMIONE!! BLOODY HELL!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" he screamed. It was obviously a disturbing sight to him. "You and…MALFOY?"

"Ron…I was just…he grabbed me and just started to…it wasn't my fault!" she stammered but she felt guilty passing the blame on Malfoy.

"You didn't fight it until he came in the room! Who knows what could've happened if he never came!" Draco shouted at her. "And it wasn't entirely my fault. You were crying and I-I don't know what I was doing…"

"You took advantage of her when she was an emotional wreck, weren't you? You're a bloody git, Malfoy," said Ron as he glared.

"She did nothing to stop it. She quite enjoyed it, actually," he snickered.

"Draco…just stop."

"I know you did. You know you did. Weasley knows you did. Why are you here anyway, Weaselbee?" said Draco starting to get angry.

"I just wanted to talk to Hermione," he said, still obviously disgusted by the whole affair.

"About what, Ron?" she asked.

"Harry. He's really sorry, Hermione…"

"Did he say that he didn't mean what he said to me the other day?"

"No, he still stands by what he said but he is also sorry."

"That is just pathetic. I'm not forgiving him until he apologizes himself. You should probably get going, Ronald," she said turning away.

"I guess. I'm sorry, Hermione. Malfoy, if you ever touch her again I'll kill you," as he turned to leave.

"I'm shaking with fear," said Draco as Ron apparated away. "Sorry…"

"It's just…whatever. It's okay. I didn't try to stop you so it's my fault too."

"Hermione, really, I'm sorry. I don't want to mess up the whole friendship thing we have…"

"You haven't been much of a friend for this past week. Ever since Viktor came you have been acting different and I haven't seen you! You are different every time I see you. I mean, the last time I you were at my house you didn't even break any movie night rules! You are always different."

"Isn't that what makes things interesting?" he said with a smile.

"I guess…but…"

"Will you just be willing to forget about what happened?"

"Of course. Let's just forget about it. And we are not going to become 'friends with benefits'" she chuckled.

"I know. I said it would never happen again!" he said. He now felt even more confused. He had no idea why he had kissed her this time. Impulse? _'I do not have a thing for Hermione Granger…that would just be weird.' _He reminded himself of that over and over again.

---

Two weeks had passed and Hermione and Draco had managed to put the whole 'episode' behind them. Even Ron was over it. Sort of. At least he didn't tell Harry about it, which would have made things ten times worse.

Viktor had still been around and Hermione was getting very attached. Harry had been right, of course. She still didn't know his intentions for being there yet. She was beginning to think in the corner of her mind that Harry could be right and it wouldn't be long till Viktor was gone. She hated that she had been away from Harry for this long.

Hermione had brought Viktor to work that morning early. He of course, only provided to be a distraction to her work. When Draco flooed in he found them caught up in a snogging session. "Merlin, get a room, you two," he said disgusted.

"Sorry," Hermione blushed.

"I better get going," said Viktor. "Dinner later?"

"Yeah, sure," said Hermione and she gave him a kiss on the cheek. The cuteness of it all nearly made Draco sick. He was getting more and more annoyed with Viktor Krum constantly being there.

---

Weeks had passed and it had been three days since Viktor was allowed to take the cast off of his leg, so he would most likely be returning to Quidditch soon—much to Hermione's despair. On that bright Sunday morning, Hermione headed out to Hogsmeade to meet Viktor. He was going to take her back to Three Broomsticks since they had had so much fun there before. Apparently Viktor had something important to tell Hermione that day.

Before reaching Three Broomsticks they shopped around Hogsmeade for awhile.

"Do you want to stop at Fred and George's joke shop? I haven't seen them in ages," said Hermione. She didn't make it out to Hogsmeade that often.

"Wherever you want to go is fine with me!"

"It should be fun!"

They stopped in and chatted with Fred and George for a while. They already knew that Viktor was back because Ron had told them. They didn't really think much of it.

After a stop to Honeydukes and Shrieking Shack, Viktor and Hermione headed over to Three Broomsticks for a Butter Beer. They enjoyed some pleasant conversation until Viktor's comment that came straight out of Hermione's nightmares.

"Hermi-own-niny, I've **really** enjoyed my time here with you but I'm afraid I have something to tell you," he said reaching for her hand. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

"What!?" she cried. _Oh my, Harry was right…how could I be so stupid? _"Why do you have to leave now?" she asked taking her hand away from his.

"If I want to continue Quidditch I will have to leave. I'm sorry, Hermi-own-niny. I mean, you can come with me if you want too…" he really did look sorry, but that didn't mean anything to Hermione.

"I thought you were going to stick around awhile! Considering everything that has happened over these last few weeks I thought that maybe would stay! I am such an idiot. And no, I don't want to go with you I have a life here and I don't want to watch you play Quidditch for the rest of your lives. I'm not your cheerleader…" she yelled.

"Hermi-own-niny, I have enjoyed my time here but did you honestly expect me to stay here? I am an international Quidditch star! I have responsibilities…like playing Quidditch…" he pointed out lamely.

"So Quidditch is more important than me?" getting up.

"You're overreacting! I never said I would be here long…" he said as he followed her towards the exit. "I didn't think that hanging out around here with you would mean that I was tied down to you!"

"I thought that at least through everything we've been through you might consider staying here for awhile!" she screamed at him.

"Hermi-own-niny, I would love to spend more time with you but I have commitments at home! I just can't blow everything off to be with you! I said you could come with me!!"

"If you really want to be with me you would give up Quidditch for me! And I guess if I really wanted to be with you I would go with you. But I have commitments as well," she said.

"Hermi-own-niny…we can still be…pen pals…" he said trying to comfort her.

"Just go back to your sodding game! I never want to see your face again, you asshole," she spat.

"FINE!" he yelled and he disapparated. Feeling like crap she decided to seek refuge with a friend.

"DRACO! Are you here?" she screamed as she ran through the rooms in his huge home.

"Hermione! What the bloody hell are you doing here?" he said.

"I'm sorry…I can go if you don't want me to be here…"

"No, it's alright that you're here. What is wrong?!" he looked very concerned.

"It's a long story," she cried.

"Come here and tell me everything," he said as he grabbed a bottle of Fire Whisky and sat down on a couch with her. Nothing could wipe away the tears like a bottle of Fire Whisky.

"Thank you…and I'm sorry I'm here. I just didn't know where else to go. Harry and I are still fighting and Ronald doesn't care about anything concerning me and Viktor..."

"What did that bastard do to you, Hermione?" asked Draco through clenched teeth.

"Well, Viktor and I were in Hogsmeade today at the Three Broomsticks and he told me that since his leg was healed he would have to leave and return to Quidditch. He said it was more important than staying here with me. And then he felt bad so he said I should come. But I am pretty sure he only said that because he knew I wouldn't accept to that."

"You deserve so much better than that, Hermione…if he shows his face around here ever again I am going to kill him," he went on.

"I'm really sorry I am here. I just…I don't want to go crawling back to Harry yet and he is helping Cho with her pregnancy anyway and Lavender and Ron are planning their—"

"It's okay, I don't need the list," he said sounding like his old self. "Just…stay as long as you want. It's fine."

"Thanks. You really are a great friend," she said starting to calm down. "Merlin, I am such an idiot."

"No, you aren't," he said.

"Yes, I am. I was so excited about having a boyfriend—I probably couldn't even call him my boyfriend, actually—that I was naïve and stupid enough to believe that he might stick around for while. I am such an idiot," she said.

"Viktor is just a jerk. He came back here knowing he couldn't stay long and he led you on anyway. The guy is a bastard," said Draco.

"I guess you're right."

"Hermione," he said feeling bold.

"What?"

Without saying anything he leaned in to kiss her. Hermione's heart raced as the kiss became more and more passionate. She didn't even know what she was feeling. Before long he was reaching for the buttons on her shirt.

---

**A/N: Okay…did things go a little to fast in this chapter? Let me kno and I may edit it. I didn't know if the Viktor stuff should have continued for another chapter or not. A lot of this chapter was merged with the old version of the story so I don't know if it is very good or not. I am really uncertain about this chapter so please give me some feedback. Sorry about the cliff hanger…wahahahahahaha. :)**


	11. Confessions

**A/N: Alright, let's just get to it!!**

---

_Can't believe that I'm so lucky_

_I have never felt so happy_

---

"Draco…Draco! STOP!" she said as she started to freak out even more.

"What's wrong?" he said looking startled.

"I just can't do this! I just wanted to come here to get away from everything but…you…why can't you understand how I am feeling? I can't believe that you would try that."

"I just was trying to make you..."

"I just don't want to become more emotionally attached to anything or anyone! I thought you would understand that I just needed to crash and take a break from everything, but obviously you don't! I can I not trust anyone anymore? I'm just going to leave," she said wiping her eyes.

"Hermione…I'm sorry! Please come back!" he yelled.

"I can't believe you would try to do this. Actually—scratch that. This is definitely something you would do—the old you, anyway. I wouldn't expect the new you to do this. I thought for a while that I could consider you one of my best friends. But I guess I was wrong. You always try to take advantage me in my weakest states. I have to leave! Don't you dare try to find me, you ferret," she threatened.

"Hermione come back! You can trust me, I swear, I just…I think…I think I want to be with you…" he pleaded, but she was already apparated away. "Merlin! Stupid, stupid, stupid!!" he yelled at himself over and over. Draco threw the bottle of fire whisky at the wall as he thought about everything that had happened. He had really blown in that time.

Hermione apparated to the outside Harry's home to apologize and tell him what happened but what she saw there when she came through the door and into the living room made her want to leave and fast. "Hermione…?" said Cho. Cho and Harry were in the middle of a heavy snogging session on the couch. Only Cho could see Hermione. It was quite an awkward moment.

"Cho, how many times do I have to tell you? I am not going to talk to Hermione. She owes me the apology…" he went on not thinking much about it.

"…no, Harry. She's here…"

Harry turned around so fast when Cho told him. "Harry…I'm sorry…I shouldn't have come. I'll just…leave now," she said heading for the exit.

"No, Hermione, come back. What's wrong? You look like you've been doing an awful lot of crying," he said as Cho slipped out of the room.

"No, it's fine, Harry. I shouldn't have intruded. You and Cho can just…uh…get back to what you were doing. Sorry."

"No, Hermione. You really look awful. Don't go…" he persisted. "You obviously came here for a reason."

"It's just…such a long story…" she said hesitantly. At least she wasn't crying anymore. She had had so many tears fall she thought that she didn't have any left. "Viktor is gone, and Dra—Malfoy…"

"Malfoy? What could he have possibly done? You don't even see him outside of work," Harry yelled, until he saw the expression on her face. "…What? You DO talk to Malfoy?" she nodded solemnly.

"Yes…I do…" she stammered.

"How often do you talk to him? Are you guys like…friends?" he asked uneasily.

"Yes. And we have been for months. I just didn't know how to tell you or Ron. I know you guys really hate him. But he has just been such a great distraction to my pathetic life lately. Well, before Viktor came back Draco—I mean _Malfoy _and I started seeing each other as friends. We would just go out to dinner or watch movies at my house. About three or four nights a week. But since Viktor came back he has been acting differently…I think he was jealous, actually. Wow. I made Draco Malfoy jealous. Who would have thought."

"We can talk about all of that later," said Harry looking looking somewhat pissed off. "Right now you just need to tell me what he did that is making you cry."

"Well…it's not just him that's making me cry…it's more…it's just everything," she sighed.

"Stop beating around the bush, Hermione, tell me what he did to you."

"Fine…well as I told you he and I had kind of been seeing each other as friends for awhile. And we have become really really close. And I have to admit that I have kind of had a crush on him for a little while and he has had one for me too. But that didn't really change anything. Viktor left me and we got in a screaming match. I didn't really know who to turn to so I went to Malfoy's place because he has comforted me in the past. But we were just sitting on the couch when he started to snog me, and of course I didn't fight it because I am an idiot, and then he started reaching for my shirt and—"

"Hermione! Oh my God! Please don't tell me you…"

"No, I didn't, don't worry. I just started to yell at him about how I couldn't believe that he would try that on me. He said he was sorry and…" she sniffled. "…And he said he said he wants to be with me."

"And what did you say?" asked Harry still finding it hard to believe that they were talking about Draco Malfoy of all people.

"I didn't say anything. I apparated away to come here. I'm so sorry, Harry. You were right about everything with Viktor…" she said as Harry took her in his arms.

"Lets just not talk about that…how do you feel about…you know…Malfoy?" he said uneasily.

"I just…don't know. I mean, he has been so such an amazing friend—just like you and Ron are to me—but he's just—I don't know. Things are just crazy and…I don't know," she said starting to panic again.

"Oh, Hermione…I'm so sorry. You just…" he was interrupted Cho who entered the room.

"Um, Harry, sorry to interrupt you two, but Draco Malfoy is in the front room and he says that it is urgent that he speaks with you right away. I don't really know what's up…" she said, looking a bit frightened. Draco most likely threatened her to get in the house.

"Ugh, I told him NOT TO FOLLOW ME!" bellowed Hermione.

"Oh, I don't think he knows you are here, Hermione," said Cho.

"Oh, well don't tell him that I am…" she said.

"I'll go talk to him. Cho, you stay here with Hermione."

Harry walked into the front room to find Draco. He was a wreck; Harry hadn't ever really seen him this way. "What the bloody hell are you doing in my home?" asked Harry trying not to be impulsive by beating him to a bloody pulp.

"It's about Hermione…is…is she here, Potter?" he stammered.

"What do you want with her?" Harry said protectively.

"I just need to talk to her. Tell her how sorry I am…I already looked for her at the office, Weasley's house, and the Weaslette's house and she wasn't there so I know she is here, Potter. I **need** to see her."

"Yes, she is here but she is in no mood to see you right now—she's not in the mood to see anybody right now," said Harry sternly. "I suggest you get out of my home **now**."

"Come on, Potter! I just want to talk to her!" '_Wow, he is desperate…'_thought Harry. "Potter, you don't understand…I—this is important. I just need to talk to her about what just happened."

"I will ask her again if she will talk to you but if she says no you have to leave."

"Fine, fine. Please hurry."

Harry walked back to the other room to find Cho trying to comfort Hermione. "Hey, Hermione…Malfoy _**really**_ wants to talk to you. He is a wreck…I really think you should speak with him."

"Harry, I don't think I can do that…" she said seriously.

"I will go with you and if he tries to hurt you or anything I will have him thrown in Azkaban in a second."

"I guess I could talk to him if you are there, Harry…but…"

"Come on, Hermione. He will never leave my house if you won't speak to him. I think he really wants to be with you…you need to see him," he said taking her by the hand.

"Hermione! Thank you for coming to see me…you don't know what this means to me," he said as she entered the room.

"Tell me what you need to tell me then please get out of Harry's home. We have disrupted their evening enough," she said. Her eyes were still all red and puffy.

"I really really want to be with you, Hermione…" he said.

"You do not love me. You just want me for a good shag," she said with hostility in her voice.

"That's not true and you have to believe me about that. I tried to shag you because…I don't know. When I am around you there is just this crazy sexual tension and it just hit me pretty hard tonight. I have been trying to fight these feelings for weeks now and I just think they need to come out now!" he yelled. "I really only started realizing it when Vicky came here. I just got so jealous I could hardly believe it myself. I didn't think I cared for you that much until he came here. And now he has broken your heart. You are unpredictable, beautiful, smart, fun, you drive me crazy, and the fact that I would be throwing away the whole line of pureblood Malfoy's to be with you is just a fringe benefit," he smirked.

"I don't know what to say…" she laughed.

"Just come back to my place. We can talk a little more…"

"I…I can't make such a decision yet. You need to give me time…a little space. Give me a chance to digest all of this!" she said raising her voice a little.

"Fine, I will give you your space. Just don't forget everything I said," and with a crack he disapparated.

"Wow," said Harry.

"I don't even know what to say," said Hermione. She couldn't take her eyes off the place where he disapparated. She played the scene over and over in her head but she couldn't come up with something to say. She didn't know if she should quit her job so she wouldn't have to see him, run away to get away from everyone, or chase after him.

"It's alright. Why don't you just sleep on it? You should stay here. I don't want you to be alone tonight," said Harry sympathetically.

"If that's ok, I guess I will. Harry, can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Do you think it is crazy to love someone you hated for most of your life?" she asked seriously.

"I don't think it's crazy at all. Cho and I hated each other through most of our school years," he pointed out.

"But you weren't arch enemies," reasoned Hermione.

"Hermione, I think you should put your history with him behind you. Forget about everything that happened at school. How do you feel now?"

"I think it is possible that I could love him. Not now, but maybe after a little more time. I'm just afraid to get hurt again."

"You know, I've got a gut feeling that everything will be okay, Hermione," he said hugging her in a brotherly way. "It's all going to be fine."

"Really?"

"Yes. I think you should go to bed now, Hermione. It's been a long day for you, I'm sure. If you need anything let Cho or I know."

"Thanks, Harry. And I am sorry."

"Don't even say that. Goodnight, Hermione. I love you!" he said before she went off to the guest bedroom.

---

Hermione hated the expression "sleep on it", which was what Harry had told her to do. Normally when someone is trying to make a decision it makes sleeping even worse. You toss and turn all night trying to come up with an answer and when you finally fall asleep you only wake up the next morning not feeling relaxed but worse because you weren't able to come up with a solution in the first place.

She reflected on everything that had conspired with her and Draco in the past. She thought about school and about what a little asshole he had been back then always calling her a Mudblood and making fun of her teeth, hair, and anything else he could think of.

After graduation they both got the same job but they didn't speak at all for the first half of the year at the office. It was just too awkward. They didn't know how to behave around each other now that they were out of school. It slowly became easier to talk to him, however, but it was really only conversation that was "strictly business".

For most of the years where she had been working with Draco she had been dating Roger Davies, which meant that there wasn't that crazy sexual tension that usually would be there between Hermione and Draco. But once she and Roger had broken up both Hermione and Draco sensed the sexual tension. They just both chose to ignore it.

She then thought back to the last few months. All the time that she had spent with him. It was still hard for her to believe. Draco had really become one of her best friends. She just loved spending time with him. They still argued constantly, but it was the fun kind of arguing. She loved the way that he would pretend to hate all the muggle activities they did together. She loved how he would constantly break rules during movie night to drive her bonkers. She enjoyed just goofing off with him even if it was throwing goofy insults at each other or wrestling each other to the ground. He knew exactly how to make her laugh or aggravate her. And it hadn't taken him long to figure all those things out. But did all these things add up to love? How did she know if he really knew what he wanted?

She frowned knowing that she would have to talk these things over with him. But she was absolutely dreading that. How could she trust that he loved her? It just seemed impossible to her. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy…together?

---

By the time Hermione woke up, she realized that she had to be at work in about twenty minutes. '_Ugh, I don't want to go to work today. __**He**__ will be there…what am I going to say to him? How can I continue to work there? Talk about awkward…' _She thought. Just then Harry stepped into the room.

"Hermione, I didn't know if you were going to work today or not, I just thought that I would find out," he said. "Cho and I are making some breakfast, you are more than welcome to join us if you aren't going to work."

"No, thanks but I think I should be getting to work. I also have to get home to feed Snuffley. Thanks for being there for me, Harry," she said as she got up. She had such a dreadful headache.

"No problem, Hermione. You can come over to stay any time you need to. We absolutely love having you here. I don't get to see you or Ron as often as I'd like to. You really should stay over more often."

"With Cho pregnant and everything? No, Harry. I don't want to overstay my welcome. Thank you, though. I really should get going if I want to make it to work on time," she said and gave him a hug. "Tell Cho thanks for me, Harry."

"I will. And Hermione—it's good to have you back," he said with a small smile.

"Oh, Harry, before I go can I ask you a favor? I hope it wouldn't be too big a deal…"

"Anything."

"I think I'm going to take a trip out of the country for a few months. I obviously can't bring Snuffley with me…could you take care of him? You are always talking about how Cho wants a cat and you love Snuffley, and…well if it isn't too much trouble…"

"…Hermione, of course we will. When are you leaving?"

"Today."

"I will pick up Snuffley while you are at work. But why are you so anxious to leave? Have you even thought about this? Does Draco know about this yet? He will want to follow you, you know."

"My are we filled with questions this morning!" chuckled Hermione. "Half the reason for this trip is because of Draco. I need time to think about everything he said last night. Harry, I think I might love him…but I don't want to push things so fast. I don't want to get hurt again!" she said.

"Oh, Hermione! Don't get upset…we can talk about this later, if you want…"

"I just feel like I'll never be in a successful relationship again! I'm hopeless!" she sobbed. "I want to let him in, but I'm just to afraid to let him in!"

"How will you know unless you try? I say you give him a chance—despite everything that he has done in the past and at Hogwarts."

"I guess I could…"

"You should get going, Hermione…"

"Yes, I should. Thanks, Harry. I will send you and Ron many owls while I am away." And with a handful of floo powder she went into the fireplace and she was gone.

She didn't have much time for anything when she got home. She packed up Snuffley's things so Harry wouldn't have too, and changed into proper work attire and was off. Draco, of course, was there when she got there. He looked very stressed.

"Morning, Granger," he said not meeting her eyes.

"Morning, Malfoy," she snapped.

Most of the day continued in this way until lunch. She couldn't even look him in the eye without feeling totally embarrassed. She actually felt depressed to look at him. Everything had become so awkward.

"Umm, Granger…would you like to go to lunch tomorrow or something? It's ok if you don't want to…I just thought with Viktor gone and everything you might want some more company…" he said shyly.

"Oh…I would say yes, but I think I'm going to take some time off. I'll be gone by tomorrow. Raincheck?"

"Time off? Like how much time off?" he said looking worried.

"Maybe a month or two…I don't really know. Maybe longer. I just want to get out of the country for a while, that's all," she said. She had made this decision the night before.

"That long?! You will miss the last apparition class. It's always been your favorite part of the job."

"I know, but I can always do that next year. I just have to get away. I'm sorry."

"Is it my fault?" he asked.

"What?"

"Is it my fault that you are leaving?" he said looking into her eyes.

"Uh…no…well, partly. It's just, everything, you know?" she said not being able to return the look. "I told you that I would need some space for awhile, didn't I?"

"Yes, but…oh never mind. Where exactly are you going?"

"I don't know yet…"

"Well, would you like to have lunch together today? Just as a goodbye thing?" he said looking hopeful.

"I guess…"

"Great. Let's get going, then, we only have an hour…" he said. Hermione felt a twinge of chemistry when she laced her fingers between his so they could joint apparate.

They went to a cute little café that was in a town a few miles away from Hogsmeade. It was kind of an awkward get together.

"So…are you sure that you want to leave?" he asked. He would do anything to try to get her to stay. "Won't you miss Potter and Weasley?"

"Yes, of course I will miss them! They are my best friends! But I can always send them an owl every week to keep in touch. Leaving is just something I have to do. You know, I think I am going to miss you a lot, as well."

"I will miss you. I can't lie…" he said sadly.

Hermione paused for a moment just to look into his beautiful gray eyes. She was trying to read his expression. _'Maybe us together wouldn't be all that awkward…'_

"Have you forgiven me, Hermione? You know…yesterday…"

"I guess I should. I mean, you we're only trying to make me feel better…"

"And you didn't want to be alone. I kind of took that as a hint…" he said sadly. "It was stupid. I feel like such a terrible guy. Just being friends with you is good enough for me." They ate in silence for a few minutes. "Don't go, 'Mione, don't go." He said.

"I have to go. Why can't you understand this?"

"Did you listen to anything I said last night?" he said sadly.

"Yes. And I need time to think about it. I have been through the broken engagement and now this whole Viktor thing and you trying to get into my pants. I really need a vacation. And time to think."

"Yes, and I guess I get that, but when will I see you again? You have become my best friend," he said with embarrassment.

"Maybe after a month you can visit me—wherever I am going to be. If I allow that will you let me go on this trip without you trying to follow me?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, I've got to pack. I guess I'm leaving now," she said getting up.

"So this is goodbye," he said giving her a hug. She kissed him on the cheek and apparated away.

---

**A/N: Aww, so sad. I need feedback on this one. I feel like the last few chapters have been awful and unrealistic. If you think that way give me your opinions and I will definitely revise it. No joke. Buh bye now!! Don't worry, things will get better!!**


	12. Tea with Mum

**A/N: Here we are. Day one of Hermione's vacation.**

---

_Every time I see that sparkle in your eyes_

---

Hermione unzipped her duffle bag and started to unpack. She was staying in a cheap but quaint hotel room in the heart of New York City. She had always wanted to go there when she was younger so she took the opportunity of this vacation to do so.

As she was unpacking her clothes and hanging them up in the closet, her cell phone buzzed lightly in her pocket. "Hello?" she asked praying that it wouldn't be Draco.

"'Mione," she recognized the voice instantly to be Ron's. "Where you at?"

"New York City," she said as she crashed onto her bed to relax. "Ron, I am so sorry."

"For what?"

"Leaving without saying goodbye. I feel like I haven't explained anything to you," she said sadly.

"Don't be sorry. I completely understand. Harry told me everything," he said.

"Oh…like everything everything?" she asked wondering if he would be explosive about Draco trying to have sex with her.

"Yes, he told me everything. And then he had to hold me down to keep me from going to Malfoy's place to kick his ass," chuckled Ron.

"I am so lucky to have my protective older brothers," she smiled.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Tell you what?" she asked knowing what he was going to say.

"About you and Malfoy being friends."

"I assumed you two would freak out. And I was probably right."

"Yeah, but you could have told us. I still can't believe you actually enjoy spending time with him. Does he treat you well when you are in his company? Because if he doesn't I will have another thing to add to the list of reasons why I might beat him up for you."

"No, don't do that!" she laughed. "Of course he treats me right. Except for the other night, that is."

"I don't understand. Why would you want to spend time with that guy? Remember all the torture in school?"

"How could I forget all that? But no, he is different now. It's hard to explain. I mean, the time I have spent being friends with him has been so much better than when Roger and I were dating," she admitted.

"Are you serious?" he asked in shock.

"Yes! I mean, it's like he gets me. He knows exactly how to make me laugh or drive me crazy. We are so different that we just—click. You know what I mean? I just haven't met anyone like him," she explained.

"Sounds like he is important to you."

"He is," she sighed.

"Then why did you leave? If he is that important to you and gets you then why did you leave him behind? What is the honest reason that you left, 'Mione. That's all I really want to know," he said to her.

"Because I am scared. I am scared that things will be great and they will fall apart. That's the way it was with Roger. And somewhat similar with Viktor. I mean, Viktor was here for only a little over a month but it was still awful. I thought that he cared for me."

"You know I've been telling you since school that Viktor is all wrong for you," pointed out Ron.

"That was because you had a crush on me back then in our fourth year," laughed Hermione.

"I did not!" he said defensively.

"Whatever, I'm just messing with you. But anyway, I just am afraid that him and I will be great together and then he will do something to break my heart. Then it will be my third heartbreak and then I will have to get a new job to get away from him. I just really needed an excuse to get out of town. And I think I used him trying to have sex with me as the excuse. If it was just some stupid fight he probably would have tried to call me by now. I guess he think I am really mad at him."

"Are you mad at him?"

"Somewhat yes and somewhat no. Part of it was good because I knew that he liked me. The terrifying part was thinking that I could get hurt again," she said.

"I can't believe I am going to defend Malfoy of all people, but I have gotta say that you should give him a chance to show you that he won't break your heart. Because Harry and I both agree that he cares about you a lot. And he knows about how you have been broken in the past by different guys. I seriously doubt he will do the exact same thing to you," said Ron in all honesty.

"Yes, I suppose you are right. But I am just not ready to talk to him about it yet. I have to make sure that this is what I want before I commit. Thank you for talking through this with me, Ron. It really helps a lot to have you and Harry around to offer a guy's perspective."

"I'm happy to do it and Harry is too. Well I promised Lavender that I would go with her to these crazy auditions for a band for the wedding, so I really should go. If you want to talk again call me or send an owl. Love you, 'Mione!" said Ron.

"I love you too, Ron!" said Hermione and she hung up.

She thought about what he said for the rest of the night while she unpacked and crashed. He was right about everything.

---

Hermione woke up the next morning and glanced at the clock. It was 11:46 in the morning. She was actually surprised. She never usually slept that late. That was more a Harry and Ron thing—sleeping the whole morning away.

It was April and the weather had become more and more pleasant. She walked over to her closet and picked out a lightweight purple and gray striped babydoll dress and paired it with a cute purple cardigan. She pulled her curls back with a black ribbon and grabbed her purse and flip flops. She was going to walk around and see some sights.

---

Draco paced in his bedroom for a few minutes. He was racking his brain for things to do for Hermione to get her back. So far he couldn't think of anything. He had already written her three letters which he had promptly thrown in the trash because he didn't think they were convincing enough. He wanted to apparate over to see her but he had no idea where she was. Even if he did no he probably wouldn't have gone anyway.

For the past few weeks he had considered talking to his mother on several occasions about Hermione. She was still hard pressed and had been reminding Draco about the fact that he needed to find someone in two years or there would be an arranged marriage. He wanted to tell her that he had possibly found the girl that he wanted to marry. But he didn't know how she would take it. He was beginning to think it would be his only option. And if he was able to confide in Narcissa she could possibly come up with a solution to end Draco's pacing.

'_I would be an idiot to go to my mum, right? She would immediately start mouthing off about how Hermione was not good enough to marry into our family…' _he thought. But then it hit him—he would ask for her advice and just not mention Hermione's name. He would save the actual name for later.

He debated over and over in his head if he should go to his mother or if he should totally destroy his pride by going to see Harry or Ron. They would definitely have the advice that would work but he seriously doubted that they would give him the advice. They weren't exactly buddies. He also had the option to talk to Blaise Zabini, but he was still very prejudiced against muggleborns.

---

Two days later Draco finally broke down and decided to go ask his mother for advice. He was completely dreading it, but he apparated over anyway. If he chickened out at the last minute he could just say he was visiting her because he missed her. Narcissa loved to be missedby her grown son.

"Mum…?" Draco asked trying to find her in the hugeness of the penthouse.

"Hello, baby!" said Narcissa entering the room. She kissed him on both cheeks. "To what do I owe this great pleasure of seeing my son unexpectedly?"

"I was actually wondering if we could talk for little while," he said as they walked to one of the living rooms.

"Oh, of course dear. What's this about?" she asked as they sat down.

"Well, it's about this girl, who shall remain nameless for the time being," said Draco. Narcissa's face immediately lit up.

"Have you found somebody finally?! This is just wonderful! You aren't going to die alone! You will finally continue the line of pureblood Malfoy's," she said. He felt extremely guilty now that Hermione wasn't a pureblood. It was going to kill his mother. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"I kind of wanted to ask you for some advice. But I feel like I should explain the whole situation first."

"We have plenty of time. I will have the house elf bring us some tea," she said snapping her fingers. A house elf appeared by her side and she sent him off to make some tea.

"Well, this girl and I went to school together. And we didn't exactly get along, per se. After Hogwarts we started to work together at the Ministry," he said. He was thankful that his mother had no idea who he worked with on the sixth floor. "For the past few years we just tolerated each other and didn't really talk because of our history. But for the past few months we have started to spend time together."

"Like what kind of time together?" she asked as she sugar and cream into her teacup.

"Just stuff friends do. Go out to eat, hang out, whatever. We have kissed a couple of times, but it was pretty meaningless. I was drunk one of the times that it happened anyway. I felt like I might have had feelings for her when one of her old friends came back and started to see her because I became really jealous. Once that jerk left her after a month she came to my place for cheering her up. And I tried to push her—"

"Push her like how?" asked his mother sternly.

"Physically. It was really stupid of me. And she became very upset. And now she is out of the country."

"Because of you?" his mother asked a little surprised.

"Well, in this past year she has gone through a broken engagement, and her recent boyfriend—if you could call him a boyfriend—has left her, and then I tried to push her. So I think it is a lot of things that are causing her to want a break from everything," he explained.

"Did you talk to her after you—you know?"

"Yes. And I told her I wanted to be with her."

"What did she say?"

"She said she wants time."

"So what exactly do you need advice about?" she asked sipping her tea daintily.

"What to do! I want to do something nice for her so she knows how I feel even though I have already told her," he said.

"Ah, yes, well there's the usual; flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep," she mused.

"Mum, I am being serious here. She won't fall for any of that bull crap," he said losing his patience.

"Right, sorry dear. Why don't you go after her, wherever she is?"

"Because she told me numerous times to stay away and that she needs time. She doesn't want me to fall for her. And a lot of times when we do talk we get into huge fights. What should I do?" he said in a stressed tone.

"Sometimes it is easier for people to put their feelings down on paper. Just write out how you feel and your intentions and see if she wants you back. If she responds to your letter then you will be closer to being able to go after her, I guess," she said.

"I have tried writing a few letters but they just didn't seem good enough."

"Just write what you feel. Be honest. You know, I really am not this great about romance stuff. You know that your father and I had an arranged marriage so there wasn't much time for real love or romance. Sorry if my advice isn't helpful," she said sympathetically.

"No, it's very helpful. I think I will try it. And I didn't come here just for the advice. I just felt like talking about it for some reason. I needed to vent, I guess."

"May I ask you a question?"

"Shoot," he said already knowing what she was going to say.

"What is her name?" she asked suspiciously.

"I'm not ready to tell you that yet, mum. I'm sorry. If things work out I will let you know," he said.

"Why don't you want to tell me? Is there something about her that I won't approve of?"

"No, no, not at all," he lied.

"Alright," she sighed.

"Thanks, mum," he said hugging her. _'Hermione was right. I am a momma's boy…'_ he though as he hugged her.

---

When Hermione came home that evening after dinner, she found an owl waiting for her outside the window. She got excited thinking it was from Harry or Ron until she looked at the handwriting on the outside of the envelope. It was from Draco. She put the letter on her bedside table thinking about whether or not she should open it. About an hour and a half later she finally broke down and opened the letter.

_Hermione-_

_I didn't even know if you would open this letter, but I thought I would try anyway. I know you have only been gone for three days, but I really miss you a lot. Work is just plain weird without you there! I'm serious. And I don't even want to know how work will be on Thursday when I have to go to Hogwarts by myself. I bet all of those kids will mutiny against me. They all hate me and love you. So what else is new?_

_Anyways, I just thought I would say a few things about the past few months and about when you came over after Viktor left. I will say it for the millionth time, I am sorry. I did not intend to try to push you physically like that. You were exactly right—it is something that the old me would have tried to do. I respect you a lot and I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have even kissed you. I know that you do not feel the same way about me that I do you._

_I admit that I have tried to deny my feelings about you for a long time. Well not a really long time, but the time over the last few months were we became closer. I kept on telling myself that it was crazy and that you were Hermione Granger. Hermione Granger—the beautiful muggleborn who I tortured with words all throughout school. I honestly can't believe that you became my friend after all the things I have said to you over the years. But that is just one of your amazing traits—you give people second chances and I admire you for that. Because if you didn't give people second chances then I obviously wouldn't have become your friend and I wouldn't be writing you this letter. _

_Viktor Krum coming back was obviously a big wake up call for me because I became so jealous when I saw him with you. I was jealous of how much you cared for him and the way you smiled when you were with him. Every time I saw you kiss him I wanted to sock him!! I am not even kidding you. Once he was here I could no longer deny my feelings for you. However, I do not think that it is love quite yet. I think right now it is just this desperate desire to be with you because I have never met anyone like you in my life. You are special, beautiful, talented, smart (obviously), strong, independent, and so many other wonderful things. You are also my best friend. It could easily blossom into love if you only give me a chance. I think the only reason I pushed you the other night is because that was—at the moment—the only thing I could think to do to let you know how I feel. It was obviously really stupid because it made you upset and that was never my intention. _

_So basically, I just want to be with you. I feel like this letter is very redundant! Having you away from here is going to drive me crazy and it will be awful. But one thing that is important to me is that things won't be awkward when you come back. Actually, I would like to see you before you come back. I want to visit you if you will let me. But take your time. I don't want to rush you or push you farther and farther away. I will say it one more time: I am an idiot and I am so sorry about what I did. _

_So write back to me whenever you see fit. I will wait._

_-Draco_

Hermione reread the letter three times and then folded up the letter and put it back in the envelope. She really had no idea what to write back or when. After reading it part of her wanted to go home and talk to him right away. He had been totally sweet and apologetic and she admired it. But then again, she didn't want to make any rash decisions.

She then thought about Harry and Ron. One of the things she used to deny her feelings for Draco were Harry and Ron. The fact that she knew they would hate it made her think twice about liking Malfoy. But now that excuse was gone. Harry and Ron were okay with it. They really only wanted her to be happy—no matter who the guy was. She felt like an idiot for not realizing that before. Harry and Ron just wanted her to be happy again.

So what else was standing in the way? She knew about his feelings and she knew that Harry and Ron were okay with it. She knew that his mother would disapprove. But that didn't really matter to Hermione. So honestly…what else was standing in the way?

**A/N: So end of chapter. I kind of enjoyed writing this one. I'm not sure how many more chapters I will have. Probably two more. Three more if I can think of another twist but I honestly doubt that. So, go ahead and review!! Reviews are so very much appreciated. **


	13. One in a Million

**A/N: Here we go. Let's hope I don't screw up this chapter. **

---

_They say that good things take time_

_But really great things happen in the blink of an eye_

_Thought the chances to meet somebody like you were a million to one_

_I can't believe it_

_You're one in a million_

---

Two weeks later Hermione lay stretched out on the bed in the hotel room to think. She was thinking about whether she made a mistake or not. In a moment of impulse and loneliness she had written him back the night before saying that he could come to see her.

He was going to be visiting her the next day.

She had tried not to think about Draco since his letter came. The reason for that was honestly because she didn't know what to say to him or when to let him back in. He hadn't sent anything else in the past two weeks either. Harry and Ron, however, had continued to write at least every other day. She was now extremely worried thinking that she had made a mistake and that she shouldn't have written to him.

But it was too late now.

She slowly drifted off to sleep as her thoughts rested on him.

---

When Hermione woke up the next morning she started to pack up some of her things. She was planning to go back home after Draco left that evening. As much as she liked vacation she was getting a little tired of being in la-la land doing nothing. She wanted to get back to work and she wanted to see her friends again.

She took a shower and dried her hair. Today she let the curls trail down to her back naturally. She picked out a satin, white, lace camisole, and a lavender colored, flowing skirt to wear. She paired it with a pair of white ballet flats.

He was going to meet her at her hotel room around lunch time. She flipped on the crappy black and white TV while she waited for him. She grew more and more anxious as the time slowly passed by. She couldn't stop looking at the clock every two minutes. She was always an impatient person.

As the hours crept by at a snail's pace, she finally heard him come knocking. Her breathing sped up as she went to the door. Upon opening it she saw Draco Malfoy.

"Hey…" she said awkwardly.

"Hey back at you," he said smiling but keeping his distance. "You look nice…"

"Come on in…" she said opening the door wider.

"Wow. You are staying in this dump?" he chuckled as he looked around the room.

"Yes. I didn't want to spend too much money on this vacation," she stated simply.

"I see. Well…do you want to go get something to eat or what?"

"Sure."

"Do we apparate or what?" he shrugged. He hadn't really ever been to New York City before.

"We are in a muggle area, we will have to walk," she said grabbing her purse.

"Fine, let's go," he said as he held open the door for her politely.

They went down the elevator in silence. They walked out of the building in silence. They walked down the street in silence. Hermione had never felt so awkward around him. It was even worse then when they were on their arranged date. Draco kept on trying to think of things to say but couldn't come up with anything. He felt like such an idiot. But he felt comforted because he knew he was not alone; Hermione was at a lost for words as well.

"So how have things been…at work?" Hermione asked.

"Padma has come into the office everyday hounding me with questions about you. She kept asking where you went and what you left for. I didn't really tell her anything. Any gossip in her hands is dangerous," he smirked.

"Well, you're right on that one," she smiled.

"I had the last class at Hogwarts. All of them did really well. A couple of them will be coming in for testing soon," he said.

"At least they didn't mutiny against you like you thought they would." He laughed and agreed at her statement. They entered a little local pizza place for their lunch. They were silent yet again till after the orders were placed.

"Look, if this is going to be awkward I can just go," he offered.

"No, it isn't awkward! I don't want you to go," she said quietly. "I have actually missed you a lot," she confessed.

"I've missed you, too," he said putting his hand over hers. She was surprised by this and quickly moved her hand from underneath his. Then he sighed and looked down. "Hermione…why am I even here?"

"Because I asked you to come," she said quietly.

"Why did you ask me to come? You seem very uncomfortable. I really think I should go," he said honestly.

"No, I want you here! It's just…I don't really know what to say or do," she laughed.

"I know what you mean. Let's just hang out like we did when we were friends? That should be simple enough, right?" he intrigued.

"Yeah, we could do that. Or at least try," she shrugged.

"I am willing if you are," he said.

"Sounds great," she said, and she dug in to her pizza. Five pieces later she was finished. Draco would have marveled about her eating abilities but he was already so used to them so it wasn't at all new to him.

He paid for the check and they were on their way. "Where do you want to go? I know absolutely nothing about this city," he said.

"We could go shopping. They have great shopping," she smiled.

"Shopping it is," he sighed knowing that he was in for a long day following Hermione around holding her purse for her while she tried things on. It had happened before when she dragged him to the muggle mall one time. "But I'm not holding your purse for you," he teased.

"Fine, you retard."

"You are off on your insults today. Can't think of anything better, beaver?" he said using an old name he called her in school as they walked.

"Shut up, ferret," she said through clenched teeth. He smirked at her. "Ooh!! Let's go in here," she said pointing to a shop they walked by.

"There is nothing I would wear from that store from what I can see from here," he pointed out.

"I don't care. I want to go in. You can suck it up," she said pulling his hand to try to get him to go in.

"Fine," he said pouting like a ten-year-old boy who was forced to go shopping with his mother.

Hermione started to browse through the racks of clothes. She was so happy that it was now spring and she could shop for skirts and dresses. Not like she needed anymore clothes. She browsed and browsed and browsed. "What do you think of this?" she asked him holding up a navy cap sleeve v neck dress with a lighter blue ribbon that tied around the waist.

"How should I know?" he sighed.

"Just tell me if you think it will look pretty on me or not," she said getting impatient.

"I'm sure you look pretty in anything you wear. I really do not care," he said.

She smirked. "Good answer. But I'm putting it back."

"Your loss I guess."

"What about this one?" she asked more excited. It was a dress with black and yellow retro polka dots with black straps and a black sash that pulled into a bow in the back.

"Maybe you should try it on," he suggested.

"I think I will. Hold this, thanks," she said shoving her purse into his arms as she ran into the changing room. Reluctantly he held on to it.

"Can I help you or your wife with finding anything, sir?" asked an employee.

"Me? What? No, we are fine. And that's not my wife…" he said. "We are just friends."

"Sorry. You two just act like a married couple from what I see," the girl smiled.

"Whatever…" he said knowing that she was probably right.

"What do you think?" said Hermione coming out and giving a twirl.

"You look really pretty," he said honestly.

"Thanks," she blushed. "So do you think I should buy it?"

"No, you should let me buy it for you. I am loaded," he said giving his signature smirk.

"Oh, shut up! I am sick of hearing about you and your stupid money. I am buying this dress and you aren't paying one cent for it," she said storming back into the changing room. He turned and saw the employee wink at him. _'Oh Merlin…'_ he thought. _'She is totally right…'_

Hermione came back out to get her purse from Draco. "I would like that back now," she said trying to grab it.

"No, I don't think so. You are going to hand the dress over and I am going to pay for it. Then you get your purse back," he said holding it out of her reach. Draco was very tall and she was obviously very short. And her flat ballet style shoes didn't help much.

"Just give it to me!!" she whined trying to jump and grab it. But his reach was just to high for her.

"Let me pay," he said simply again.

She pouted and considered it for a minute. "Fine you can pay. But I want my purse back before you pay," she offered.

"I am not that stupid. I will give it back to you when I am done purchasing."

She crossed her arms in a pout. "Fine," she muttered.

"That's a good girl," he said and he patted her head.

"Shut up," she said slapping his hand. Draco paid for the dress and then gave her the purse back. Although she tried to pay him back he just simply refused over and over again. Both of them were very stubborn at times, obviously.

---

The day basically continued in the same fashion. Hermione and Draco walked in and out of stores fighting about what looked good and who was going to pay for it. Hermione was smart enough not to leave her purse in his hands anymore. She was actually surprised about how easy it was for them to be acting like this. Normal, that is.

She actually felt a little stupid and childish when she thought about her reasons for leaving. Now all that she was thinking about was what he was thinking. She wanted to know if he was still interested in her or if he just wanted to switch back to friends mode forever. She knew that they would have to talk about it before he left New York City. The letter couldn't simply be ignored. But he didn't even know if she had read it for sure.

They had continued the shopping adventure until they both grew tired. They picked up some fast food and planned to bring it back to the hotel to eat. Then they would both be coming home.

When they got back to the hotel Hermione and Draco both sat down on the queen sized bed seeing as there were no other chairs. They both ate in silence knowing that they would be talking about serious things soon. Both seemed disinclined to speak first. But after they finished eating, which included the fast food and then two scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream, Draco spoke up.

"Hermione…?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"I don't know…" she shrugged.

"I think you do know," he said calmly.

"I had a really great time with you today. I feel like we haven't spent good time like that together since Viktor was here, you know?" she said sweetly.

He sighed. That wasn't exactly what he was expecting. He wanted to know about the letter and what she thought of it. "Yeah, it was fun…" he said.

"Draco…?"

"Yeah?"

She couldn't control her impulse. She had been dying to do it all day. She had made her decision and there was no going back now. She leaned in and placed a sweet kiss on his lips and then backed away to see his initial reaction.

"Is this what you really want?" he said impassively.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I only want you to kiss me if you really want it. Otherwise, what's the point, hun? You know how I feel, that is if you read the letter, and now I want to know what you are thinking and what you feel. Don't tease me with a pity kiss," he said almost harshly.

"I wouldn't give you a pity kiss. I did it because I wanted to," she snapped at him a little angry about the tone he had just used on her.

"Because you and I have kissed many times, my dear, and it 'hasn't meant anything'. What does this mean? You know, maybe this is just to crazy to work out. You and me? What was I thinking?" he said getting up.

"Excuse me? What about the letter you wrote me? Did that not mean anything either?" she said standing up.

"It…it did mean something. But now—who knows?" he stuttered staring down into her eyes. She stared back up at him with fiery passion in her eyes. "It seems like you change your mind about me everyday anyway."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Granger, maybe I should just go," he said.

"No, _Malfoy_, we are going to figure this out. And right now," she said.

"Fine. Then just go ahead. Tell me how you feel. Just be honest with me for once!!" he said louder.

"You want to know how I feel, huh? Well I'll tell you. I LOVE YOU, YOU IDIOT!!" she screamed. He seemed a little taken aback by that statement, but then again, who wouldn't be?

"You—are you…?" he didn't even know what to say. He was in too much shock.

Tears started to glimmer in her eyes. "Yes, Draco Malfoy, I love you. I thought it would be impossible but I love you. You are my one in a million…" she said as she cried. He sat back down on the bed and she followed suit. He put his arms around her as she cried. "I never should have been with Roger. I never should have wasted my time with Viktor. I just used him as a distraction because I wanted to deny how I felt about you," she explained as she cried. "Everything changed when you and I became friends. And I don't want anything else to change now. I just want to be with you."

He was still somewhat at a lost for words. He continued to rub her shoulders and then wiped the tears off her face with his thumbs. "Don't cry, 'Mione…" he said. Not able to wait any longer, he started to kiss her. The feeling was incredible. Every other time they had kissed it didn't really mean anything or amount to anything. Now he was kissing the girl he loved who loved him back.

"I can not tell you how long I have really wanted to do that," he said. She kissed his cheek.

She smiled at him while the tears subsided. "So…what now?" she laughed.

"Let's just go home," he said taking her hands in his.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

---

THE END.

**A/N: Okay. So that's the end!! I know that it is a little short, but this is the way I wanted to end it. I will be doing an epilogue and perhaps a sequel if you guys want it and you have to give me a few ideas for a sequel, too. So please let me kno. I am happy to write a sequel if you want one. **

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. It isn't that many people, but I appreciate the people who took the time. It is very helpful in my writing and I am happy that you guys enjoyed it!! So I guess I will catch you all in the epilogue!! **


	14. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**A/N: Hello, people! I have decided to forget about the epilogue and go for the sequel. But my updates will be way less frequent. One in a Million was more than halfway finished when I started putting it online. So I won't be updating all that quickly. I am really busy with school and stuff but I will try to keep updating somewhat regularly. I already have a few good ideas to use for the sequel but if any of you have some good ideas or things you would like to see please tell me. I will really put your ideas into consideration. **

**The new story will be called Once Upon a Broken Heart. So I should be putting up the first chapter very very soon because it is finished. So I hope that you will all look into that story. Feedback is the only thing that will keep me writing. I love getting reviews!! And I want to thank the few people who did review for One in a Million. You have no idea how helpful and supportive you have been!!**

**So enjoy the new story!**


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